Today is...

"Today is the first day of the rest of your life." There are life-changing moments when that is so true.

November 14 is one of those. It was 1987 and I became "mom" to my second daughter, born that day. With two daughters my children were complete and would be a part of my heart for the rest of my life.

November 14 once again became a day of pivotal change. On that day, this year, my oldest daughter presented me with a granddaughter who immediately stole her own place in my heart, and nothing will ever be the same.

There have been many other momentous days in the past 50 years. So many in just the past five that it amazes me to think how the Lord has blessed me. There have been others, days of such pain that I will never forget. But through it all God has given me reason to rejoice and thank Him for even those moments, because it means that I have also been given the chance to love and be loved greatly.

I know that God has plans for my next 50 years. I dare not think too far ahead for the grief I know is waiting for me there. But, through faith, I know there is also much joy. It is my fervent prayer that I would not so much seek God's blessing on my plans, but rather, seek to live out God's plans for my next 50 years. That is what would make my next 50 far greater than the first.