I am forty-nine today…one year removed from fifty.
And, as I woke up this morning with the realization that God was “yes” going to bless me with another day here on earth, I was humbled to understand that I have three individuals to whom I owe much gratitude and appreciation.
Two of those individuals came together in love to carry me and then give birth to me…my parents, Chet and Shirle Millstead.
One of those individuals left His earthly home to come and die for me so that I, too, may reside with Him one day, His counterpart which guides my life and fills my soul…the Holy Spirit, and their counterpart, the very one whose knitting together brought me into this very existence….God
To all three, I am grateful.
It is important that I fully understand the importance of these individuals in my life for they are the foundation for my whole purpose in existing…
I have learned much these past 49 years….but, one of my favorite things is that….
“When you get to the bottom of yourself, you get to the beginning of God”…..
I can assure you, I have gotten to the current “bottom” of my life this past ten years…..yes, I could go lower as there are many pains I have been blessed to avoid; but, I have been to the “valley of the shadow of death”…to the “point where anguish becomes your friend”…
However, as I tell my children, you are not to “live” there at the bottom. I believe you are allowed to “go there” because some times it takes that for you to have a change of heart…a new conviction…a new awakening…
You go there to become different.
You go there to become kinder, gentler
You go there to become humbled
You go there to accept forgiveness
You go there to accept cleansing
You go there to accept love
It is a journey, this life we are on…and in this journey, we have to chose many things….
But, the greatest choice is “for Whom do I live?”
You will make many choices, wise choices, silly choices, even at times obscene and sinful choices, but you are NOT to live in those choices.
Celine Dion has a song I listen to daily…there were periods of times these past 20 months that I listened to it 20 times a day….I totally relate to the words….I have lain in bed at night hearing them, I have driven down the road to them, I have heard them while at ballgames and possibly even while talking with many of you…
"The Prayer"
I pray you'll be our eyes, and watch us where we go.
And help us to be wise in times when we don't know
Let this be our prayer, when we lose our way
Lead us to the place, guide us with your grace
To a place where we'll be safe
I pray we'll find your light
and hold it in our hearts.
When stars go out each night,
The light you have
I pray we'll find your light
will be in the heart
and hold it in our hearts.
to remember us that
When stars go out each night,
you are eternal star
Nella mia preghiera
Let this be our prayer
quanta fede c'e
when shadows fill our day
How much faith there's
Let this be our prayer
in my prayer
when shadows fill our day
Lead us to a place, guide us with your grace
Give us faith so we'll be safe
We dream a world without violence
a world of justice and faith.
Everyone gives the hand to his neighbors
Symbol of peace, of fraternity
La forza che ci da
We ask that life be kind
e il desiderio che
and watch us from above
ognuno trovi amor
We hope each soul will find
intorno e dentro se
another soul to love
The force his gives us
We ask that life be kind
is wish that
and watch us from above
everyone finds love
We hope each soul will find
around and inside
another soul to love
Let this be our prayer
Let this be our prayer, just like every child
Need to find a place, guide us with your grace
Give us faith so we'll be safe
Need to find a place, guide us with your grace
Give us faith so we'll be safe
E la fede che
hai acceso in noi,
sento che ci salvera
It's the faith
you light in us
I feel it will save us
I pray you'll be our eyes, and watch us where we go.
And help us to be wise in times when we don't know
Let this be our prayer, when we lose our way
Lead us to the place, guide us with your grace
To a place where we'll be safe
I pray we'll find your light
and hold it in our hearts.
When stars go out each night,
The light you have
I pray we'll find your light
will be in the heart
and hold it in our hearts.
to remember us that
When stars go out each night,
you are eternal star
Nella mia preghiera
Let this be our prayer
quanta fede c'e
when shadows fill our day
How much faith there's
Let this be our prayer
in my prayer
when shadows fill our day
Lead us to a place, guide us with your grace
Give us faith so we'll be safe
We dream a world without violence
a world of justice and faith.
Everyone gives the hand to his neighbors
Symbol of peace, of fraternity
La forza che ci da
We ask that life be kind
e il desiderio che
and watch us from above
ognuno trovi amor
We hope each soul will find
intorno e dentro se
another soul to love
The force his gives us
We ask that life be kind
is wish that
and watch us from above
everyone finds love
We hope each soul will find
around and inside
another soul to love
Let this be our prayer
Let this be our prayer, just like every child
Need to find a place, guide us with your grace
Give us faith so we'll be safe
Need to find a place, guide us with your grace
Give us faith so we'll be safe
E la fede che
hai acceso in noi,
sento che ci salvera
It's the faith
you light in us
I feel it will save us
I consider this song one of God’s little gifts to light my way on this life’s journey…
I consider many of you God’s little gifts to sweeten and light my way on this life’s journey…
I am a blessed woman….and, especially today, I want to reflect on how grateful I am….how truly truly lucky it is to be Chet and Shirle’s daughter, Madison, Joseph, Kenton and Johnson’s Mama, my siblings’ sister and my precious friends’ friend…
Thanks to each of you who has been a sweet light of love, compassion, joy and laughter to me these past 49 years; to those of you who have walked beside me as I have journeyed through life, who have sung with me, danced with me and prayed with me; who have walked with me, “yoga’d” with me, moved with me..
YOU are the best birthday present to me that I have ever been blessed to receive…
And especially today…my Birthday…I am grateful…
Blessings,
Lesa
