Happy Birthday To Me

Goodness.  How things go.  And goodness sake, it's gonna be a wild ride.

Today is my birthday.  Happy Birthday, Me!  I'm writing late, so it might be happy birthday me, yesterday for you... for that I apologize.  ANYWAY.

On Sunday, I talked a bit about opening the container and finding all of this me spilling out all over and gosh, there was a lot of me stuffed up in there.  Or not me... oh boy.  I am a little overwhelmed.

I made a friend a few weeks ago who is a pastor.  I'm starting to see that a portion of our instant friendship is our complimentary callings and gifts.  It's amazing what these simple conversations are pulling out of each of us.  I am overwhelmed and happy and encouraged and chastised and pushed and pulled and challenged.  This friendship is a lot.  I miss having a friend who challenges me to be a better Christian.  He's not afraid of hurting my feelings, nor I his, but things are said with grace.  And it is so much fun.

The friendship isn't the point of this post... it's that I have come home to myself.  Goodness, I do not know how this is going to play out, but I am plugged into myself, into my beliefs, my faith in a way that hasn't happened in 15 years... 16 years...  And I have hope for my own purpose again.  Again, not sure what's going to happen... not sure what's in store... not sure what changes except for maybe my own place of power and/or purpose.  I've always viewed my business as an extension of my ministry calling - my company's motto is "community through food", and I always intended that people get what they need when they approach and draw from me, whether they make a purchase or not.  It's likely the day-to-day of that will not change.

But, I've missed this portion of me.  I am very excited to see what happens.  I feel like fertile soil that's been watered, planted and watered again.  Wonder what the outcome is going to be... what will grow in the garden of me.