Jubilee Year

My sister turned fifty last Thursday and I'm just so grateful that she's alive!! Honestly, this year has been one of the hardest I've ever seen her walk through, wondering at times if she'd make it. I was so honored to be able to host her 50th birthday party. She was anxious leading up to it, but God just moved in and arranged the whole thing. It was one of the sweetest evenings we've enjoyed for a long time. The family gathered along with some precious friends and together we celebrated her fifty years and the gift that she is to us. God's presence was tangible - and there was joy all over my sweet sister! She radiated life - ah, answered prayers...long in coming, and still in process, but visible.

The evening was perfect...nice enough to sit outsite munching on goodies, watching the kids play on the trampoline, enjoying the beauty, mountains and big sky... Inside Elsie was playing her guitar, surrounded by flowers, balloons, gifts and cakes. Around her there was a group singing old worship choruses and lifting up the name of Jesus. He's the One - He is life - truly, "in Him we live and move and have our being". May we be more aware of this - living to honor the King. Living to love.

Elsie is really good at loving. And I've been the recipient of her kindness and love for as long as I've been alive. A more generous or devoted sister I would be hard pressed to find.

So I give thanks to the Father. For life, for family, for friends to celebrate with and for my wonderful sister... May this be a year of Jubilee for her.