A Blessed Day

Today is my birthday, and I have been overwhelmed with the well-wishes from all my friends and family. I love facebook. It has really connected me back with people I love and care about.

I had a friend who wanted me to start my week with a yummy cake. She wanted me to be blessed, not just on my birthday, but all week long. How wonderful is that? I think that is pretty special. Then, I have another friend, who took me on a very special outing today, to geocache, which is one of our family's favorite things to do. She took me not only to geocache, but to see some pretty scenery, so I could take photos to my hearts content. Then, the day completer, to go to a gorgeous winery, where there was a lake and lots of photo opportunities, even seeing and capturing a bald eagle. It was very far away, so it didn't come out real clear, but I was thrilled anyway. We went inside the building, and there we saw some beautiful glass work and lots of fun things, that really were special. This winery is connected with Amador Flower Farm, and it is a family run business. The ladies inside were all very nice, let us take pictures, and talked us into tasting some of the wine. A first for me, of wine tasting tours. I would not be a good connoisseur of wines, but the young lady that did the pouring was very informative about the grapes, the vines, and the the different processes of dates and "airing out" the wine, which I did not know was extremely important. She shared that there were some vines in the area from the 1800's. I had no idea that there were vines that old in this area, or that there were so many grape arbors in the area for so long. We found out that Amador County has the temperature of Tuscany Italy, where many vineyards are located. Who knew? Now you do. The grapes are considered sweeter than most, so make good Zinfandel's, which I did not know, either. Another thing learned? The date on a wine bottle is not the date of the bottling of the wine, it is the date the grapes were picked and crushed. I had no idea. Maybe you didn't either, but now, like me, you have learned something new.

My dear friend had planned for more to do, but we had to cut things short, so we could get Kaylee from school in time. Then, we went back to the office, and another dear friend had dropped by, and given me some beautiful azaleas. They are a beautiful dark pink color, and smell wonderful. Then, Kaylee got the mail for me. She has been off duty in that department for over a week, but since it was my birthday, she said she'd get it, "but only because it was my birthday." I like that it was my birthday, so she could get it for me.

Once I was back at the office, Isolino informed me that I had a lot of facebook messages, wishing me a "Happy Birthday". I had gotten some this morning, that blessed my heart so much, but I hadn't had time to really have it all sink in, as I was busy getting stuff done before taking off for the day. So, I sat down to the computer and began to read and thank all my precious friends and family, who remembered my birthday. How wonderful, life is, when you have so many precious people in your life. I cannot thank you all enough, who remembered my birthday, did something special for me, or who just wished me ''Happy Birthday". So many of you called me "Special" and I was so blessed to know that I have impacted many of your lives with being in them. You hear this at funerals, but how many of us get to know that we have been an influence in a positive way, before then? It is very precious to me, to know that I am so loved, and how I am loved.

Before I was done reading my messages, Isolino came back to the shop after taking off to the store to get ingredients for a special dinner I asked him to make for me. It is a very yummy soup, that is a hit with almost anyone who eats it. It is a minestrone soup that he found online one year, and I was thinking of it a lot the last few weeks, so when he asked me what I wanted to do for my birthday, I asked him if he'd be willing to make this soup for dinner, instead of going out to eat, like we usually do. He said he would, and then he added a yummy list to add to the soup. I am SO blessed! So, before we leave, the same friend who made me the cake, came by to give me a beautiful rose that was made out of feathers. It looked very lifelike, and is such a beautiful red rose. She stayed and talked for awhile, and gave me a birthday hug, then I had to finish sending off a fax, and it was time to head home. I came home to a cleaner house, a table set for dinner, and more surprises, as there were lovely tulips on the table. They are such a gorgeous pink and white variated color and were such a treat to see. Isolino knows that I have been checking daily on the tulips outside in our yard, so it was so sweet of him to think of getting those for my birthday dinner table.

I shared the picture above (which I took today, as one of the photo opportunities I had), because Isolino and I always look forward to when the daffodils bloom. It is one of the first signs of spring that we see, and those bright yellow blooms make us smile with delight, at all the blooms to come. They make my heart sing with gratitude and my eyes light up with joy, as they make me think of the light of Christ. He makes my heart soar with joy. He brings a song to my heart. His Life, brings me completion. So, I pray that as you see those yellow petals all around you, that you will be encouraged with the Love of God for you. It may be my birthday, but I believe each day we are given is a day to praise God in. A day to feel His wonder and His grace. A day to allow Him to minister to our hearts and souls. Today, because of each of you, my heart and soul have been blessed by God's Love. As each of you reached out to share this day with me, I felt as if God wrapped His loving arms around me, and was saying, "See how much I love you? See how much I care? I have given you all of these loved ones to be in your life, to be part of blessing you. I have surrounded you with Love." Yes, He has blessed me today, with each of you, most assuredly and completely. Today, all of my daughters blessed me with such sweet and special birthday wishes. Kristine, Jolynn, and Kaylee all gave me the sweetest praises and words a mother could wish for. I told Jolynn that it reminded me of the Proverbs 31 woman, "whose husband and children rise up to call her blessed". Yes, I am surrounded by love. Even my son, shows his love by coming out to eat with all of us. How precious it is, to have a family that loves you. To have friends who love you. To have so many who bring joy to your heart, by their fun, their laughter, their sharing their joys and their fears, and share their tears and pain and sorrow as well.

Friends and family, our Father in Heaven loves you. He cares about you deeply. He cherishes the time He gets to spend with each of you. I pray that you will feel loved, like I felt loved today. I pray that if you have been hurting, that God will bring you comfort in some way. I prayed for a friend once, who was struggling with a lot of things. I prayed that God would give her a very specific sign of His love for her. She told me later, that there was a special rose bush that she loved, and God had on there one very perfect rose that spoke voluminous to her of His love. It really ministered to her heart, and it opened her heart in a very real way to expecting more blessings from Him. I pray that for each of you. I pray that God will hear your hearts cry, and minister His love in a real way for you. He knows you inside and out. He knows what you need to hear from Him. He wants you to be encouraged. That was one of the things that we are told to do, as New Testament Christians, "that we are to build each other up in His Love". "We are to sing psalms and hymns to one another, to encourage each other". Dear friends and family. I pray that you will be encouraged today.