Turn of a half century

Yep, that’s me.  As of today I have officially crossed the better part of my life.  I has the great surprise of a 50th birthday party last night that will be a favorite memory from now on.  It was for sure the perfect ending to a tumultuious week.  But thats another story.

I was invited to dinner last night by my favorite dispatch coworker because she had to cancel out on another night a couple of weeks ago.  So we were going out to eat before I was to work midnites,  she was supposed to call me and let me know what time and where yesterday afternoon.  Well I got up and got ready to go and I didn’t hear from her.  So at about 7 she called and asked why I wasn’t at the restaurant, and I said because you didn’t tell me where we were eating.  So she said we were eating at the mexican restaurant in Trenton and she would go in and get us a table.  So I took off.

Ten minutes later when I arrived, she met me out front and walked me back ti where we were sitting.  As I turned the corner I looked up and saw one of my police officers in uniform and then everyone shouted "Surprise!"  I almost had a stroke.  Then they told me that they had made arrangements that I didn’t have to work last night, so let the party begin.  Needless to say, it was the best birthday ever.  To be surrounded by so many great friends and to feel so loved.  Wow.  As I sit and reflect on the day now, I am reminded how rich I am not in money and posessions, but in love and treasures of friends who go out of their way for me and to make my day special.

And for the first time in over 10 years, I was able to have dinner with my mom on my birthday.  We went to the Montgomery Inn for ribs.  And then she made a special desert for us when we got home.

How blessed I am to have had such a wonderful day.  The Lord has truly given me so many blessings and taken such good care of me throughout my life.  To have so much good just makes me want to be a better shepard for the Lord.  As the day winds down and tomorrow goes back to normal, I will remember that there is good in everything we experience, if we just look beyond the clouds.  I will have dinner with my oldest friend Mel tomorrow and we will celebrate out birthdays together, as hers was Tuesday and I still am older by two years.  But age is only a number and I will never be 50 in my mind.  So life is good.  No, it’s great!  Gods blessings to each and everyone of you, as you too are part of my wealth of love and caring friends.  Be well.