Today one of my friends turns 60, good for her.... I can and comtemplate??

My dear Niecy turned 30 yesterday.  My friend Tucky turns 60 today.  Happy Birthday to you both... What wondrous lives they each have, one double the others age, both looking into themselves on their special days, I am sure, about where they go with their lives from here.  Do they make tacks in their lives, are they on a sure course, are they right with their maker and so on and so forth.  Our B-days seem to bring that out in us.  Some of us contemplate a little, and some contemplate more, but I can't think of any one that doesn't take a little thought to their lives on their birth days.... 

I and Twin both have birthdays in the next couple of days, mine tomorrow and hers the following day.  My Grandmother Thelma would have celebrated her birthday on Sunday, had she lived longer, she would have been 89 that day. Happy Birthday to each of us.  I am a contemplater by nature, and I would think some of you, that know me, would agree, others can only guess by my words that they would suspect as much.  I think I have been thinking of God more so this week than normal and you all know there are times when I really contemplate him so I am heavily joyed and heavily burden the last few days.  I know that true joy only comes from God, happiness we have of our own accord or in accordance with the events of our lives but Joy is a special feeling from God.  I have joyed this week and I have sorrowed so clearly God is rewarding me and chastising me.  I love that he does take the time to chastise me as he only chastises the children he loves.  That is really how all fathers should treat their children but I digress and should stay on topic.  I am a child of Gods so I know joy and chastisement both. 

I never really thought of life verses but of late I have thought of them really only due to something the Preacher said awhile back to my Ladies.  I never was really taught to have one.  I am going to try to teach them to have one.  On that vain I have thought and thought of what mine has been in my life time.  I had thought I got a hold of what it might be awhile back.  I had thought of the verse I go to most in the Bible, from memory, when I am distressed.  I came up with a misquote that I use a lot, it is not really not in the Bible it is just a mix of two verses that are very nearly the same and then  I didn't quote either exactly in the end.  I think of Ephesians 5:20 and First Thessalonians 5:18.....

Ephesians 5:20  Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ

1 Thessalonians 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

I would say I think a lot of these but I usually say to myself, "in all things praise God"  I sort of shortened it but the meaning has always been there for me and kept my soul in line with God.  I have learned the hard way to give thanks to God in all things, happy or sad, gain or loss, I just try to live by that credo somehow but I don't really know if I would say that was my life verse more than a creed in the end. 

Recently I have thought and thought about it and I have really been drawn to a new verse sort of a second half of my life motto maybe.  I will never leave my thoughts of "praising God in all things", that is a part of me but I think my 50's have given me a new depth in my Faith and maybe it is time I took on a new life verse or maybe picked one that suits me and my stronger faith.  It will seem an odd choice to many of you but it makes perfect sense to me.  I rarely make any sense to most people so that may be just as well and in the end it may be an adapt verse after all.  My new or maybe it's just additional life verse is going to be  Genesis 1:1, well part of it any way, see I can't even get my life verses right so maybe it is just that I am not always quite in step even when I try. 

Genesis 1:1  In the beginning God created.......

I only need the first five words because that is the whole sum of faith.  Isn't it really  How much more needs to be said?  If you can't believe that part of the Bible nothing after it matters or needs to be read.  It is the whole meaning of faith all wound up in five little words...... tomorrow.