3 /27 . . . . ..40!

My 21 day Daniel fast is complete.  And completely a success!  God has taught me so much in those short three weeks.  I'll try to jot down some of the lessons I've learned in a separate post.

Today, my 40th birthday, was the first post-fast day.  I got to "feast" (I say that loosely, since much of my eating was still the same) twice at church today, with a carry-in breakfast and a lunch afterwards.  My wonderful church family surprised me with a cake and flowers at lunch, singing Happy Birthday.  Friends showered me with greetings on Facebook, and I received several phone calls.   But as great as that was, it couldn't compare to my sweet children singing me Happy Birthday at dinner.  :-)

Rewind a little, to April of last year.  We went to the Women of Joy conference in Kentucky, and  when I found out that the 2011 conference was going to be on my birthday weekend, with Casting Crowns providing the Saturday night music, I was sure that would be the best way to spend my 40th birthday.  Much of the year I'd looked forward to it.  But as the deadline came to sign up, I kept getting a feeling that I was supposed to be skip it this year.  So a bit hesitantly, I decided to stay home.  And with good reason.  This is where I was supposed to be.

For as wonderful as all the birthday celebrations have been, one present really stands out.  The one from God.  I started my chronological Bible reading this morning in 1 Samuel 23 , then went to a Psalm, then back to 1 Samuel 24.  I turned the page to find that the last section of reading was titled, "David and Abigail", 1 Samuel 25.  Yes, God had given me on my first post-fast day a whole chapter about Abigail!  Only God!  This was a complete God-incidence in timing.  That I chose the chronological plan when I completed the other, that I began in Deuteronomy where I had left off, that I didn't get behind,  that a couple days I accidentally read two days worth in one (my first fasting days!)  . . .  all those little God details that had to go into it to make this very special birthday present from God:  confirmation that Abigail will somehow become our daughter. 

Thank you God, for being the source of joy in my life and for helping me to see the many, many blessings that You have surrounded me with thus far, even those that have come veiled as a trial.