Fifty Five

HaPpY BirTHdAy To mE!

Me and my lists! LOL!

I looked up all the places I can get a discount now that I am 55 years old. There are more as I get older but this is a good start if I can remember to ask for it:

1.Advantage 2.Alamo 3.Avis 4.Budget 5.Comfort Inn & Suites 6.Clarion 7.Dollar 8.Econolodge 9.Jiffy Lube 10.National Car 11.Quality Inn 12. Rodeway 13.Sleep Inn 14.Wyndam 15.Arbys 16.Chick-fil-A 17.Chili’s 18.DQ 19.Denny’s 20. Dunkin Donuts 21.El Pollo Loco 22.Fuddruckers 23.IHOP 24.Jack in the Box 25.KFC 26.Krispy Kreme 27.Long John Silvers 28.McDonalds 29.Steak n Shake 30.TCBY 31.The Cafe and Tearoom 32.Rubys 33.Wendys 34.Banana Republic 35.Bealls 36.Dress barn 37.Goodwill 38.Ross 40.Steinmart 41.Savers 42. Albertons 43.Valvoline 44. Del Taco 45. Frys grocery 46. Mission Inn 47. Hotel del Coronado 48. Adventure City 49. Queen Mary 50. Avon 51. Pep Boys 52. Carnival Cruise Line 53. Holland America 54. Midas 55. Roto- Rooter

55 memories/moments of my life

1. I was born to the perfect parents for me! Rex and Nancy Moses! So lucky! So blessed.
2. I rode the electric bus with my grandma Moses and we went to Sears and to my cousin Brian’s house.
3. I moved to CA.
4. My sister was born. My friends were becoming very important: Julie, Connie, Gaylynn….
5. I had a Cinderella birthday with a pumpkin shaped angel food cake. I started school.
6. We moved to Calabasas and I learned to ride a bike while staying at the Granthams when David was born.
7. I went to the Rose parade with the Gibsons and slept on the street!
8. We took the train to AL for Christmas
9. I asked JC into my heart on March 7th. Man Landed on the moon.
10. I learned to sew and made a dress. My teacher did not believe me.
11. My cousins Kati and Suzie came to visit.  I idolized them. I survived my first really big earthquake and fire.
12. I was in the neighborhood play A Christmas Carol. I met my bestie Marianne
13. Our family moved to HB. I went on my first diet. I saw my first GP movie:  the Sting with my Uncle John.
14. I met my lifelong BF Marji.
15. I went to Mexico with YUGO and a ministry mindset began to take shape
16. I had Strepp throat on my birthday. My dad took me on my first date
17. I committed my life to full time ministry at Hume Lake
18. I started college at Biola and met my future husband and BFF CAM
19. I worked at Mt Hermon where I decided to devote my life to jr. high ministry.
20. I got engaged to Jim
21. I got married! And moved across the street from church and lived behind the Degraffts,  I finished college
22. We went to AL to celebrate my grandparents’ 50th. And went to the World’s Fair in Knoxville TN where I won a lime green buffalo.
23. We went to HI
24. We finished seminary together.
25. Jim took me to Disneyland for the first time as a “date”, without youth min. kids for my birthday!
26. I first fell in love with GB. We moved to AZ
27. I began several life changing relationships with Susan and Tibby. The former became one of the most sweet and best friends I could ever imagine. The later led to the formation of Jest in Time.
28 I met Shirley Temple Black and got her autograph.
29. Jim and I went to Spain to minister to missionary kids.
30. Jim gave me 2 surprise parties in 2 states for my 30th birthday.
31. We went to Barbados.
32. I became an Aunt.
33. I became a mom.
34. I was ordained at FBCS
35. Jim got his PhD and I got my PhT
36. I became a mom again and we moved to IL
37. I began teaching at TIU and ministry began to unfold in Waukegan in my sweet neighborhood.
38. We began to put down roots in IL
39. We started to de-emphasize Christmas (Advent conspiracy)
40. I got a cartilage pierced
41. We went to France for our 20th.
42. I wrote Compass and began paid ministry at CCLF
43. We took the kids to Disney World.
44. We discovered the fun of Destination Imagination as a family.
45. I got a job as a librarian, which had been my dream as a high schooler!
46. We moved back to CA after 20 years away
47. Disneyland!
48. We went back to IL for the last time as a family.
49. Jim is diagnosed with GBM and I got a job at Davita.
50. We took a cruise to AK and then our last vacation as a family.
51. We celebrated our last anniversary and Jim went home to heaven
52. Emily began college at Biola.
53. I started work at FEFC, God redeemed what I thought was lost as far as ministry goes. Aunt Janie died.
54. Clayton graduated and now I have 2 adult children!
55. My daughter is getting married!

And there are some things I have learned along the way! In random order…

1. God is always good.
2. Life is uncertain, eat dessert first
3. When in doubt… don’t!
4. Imagination is more important than knowledge.
5. One can live without a DVR but why?
6. We can no longer live without the internet and a cell phone.
7. God is the God of living color. Not black and white. Diversity is the dance of the Divine, not to mention that we are made in the image of the Creator.
8. People are more important than things
9. Ministry occurs in the context of relationships
10. Goals are our friends
11. Independence is not God’s plan for my life… leaning into His grace is.
12. Boring is a bad word.
13. Faith without works is dead. Don’t tell – show. The only thing that counts is faith working itself out in love.
14. Speak the truth…in love…even if your voice shakes. Honesty is profoundly important.
15. Don’t let someone’s bad day wreck yours.
16. Treat each day as a gift that you cannot wait to open. Every day is worth celebrating.
17. Marianne’s ice cream is worth the calories.
18. This life is short. The next one is not. Plan accordingly.
19. Joy is a choice.
20. We were made to proclaim the good news and engage in good works; we were made for community and worship.
21. Spend time outside every day.
22. Creativity is a muscle that will atropy without use. You can’t use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have.
23. Live in the moment. No guarantees. You are entitled to NOTHING!!! Life is not fair and no one really would want it to be!
24. Life is to be lived as play.
25. Humor is the 6th sense and it helps us enjoy the other 5.
26. Love is way harder than tolerance.
27. Respect and honor are worth everything.
28. Travel. Enjoy the adventure
29. Talk to Jesus every day. Practice the presence of God
30. Anger, resentment, whining ,and complaining cause constipation and wrinkles. (And they only make the journey longer – ask the Israelites.  They will tell you)
31. Baseball is life. There is no such thing as a bad baseball movie
32. Be the kind of friend that people seek. Be the hero your child wants to grow up to be.
33. God is not committed to your happiness. He is committed to your holiness.
34. Always stop for lemonade stands, boy scouts and girl scouts selling popcorn and cookies.
35. Look everyone in the eye when talking to them. You can never overestimate the worth of anyone. Â Everyone has dignity.
36. Treat others the way you want to be treated.
37. Think Biblically about everything
38. Stop to smell the lilacs, the roses, the coffee
39. Take time for Tea
40. Read.
41. Busy is okay but hurry is not. It is OK to wait.
42. The need does not constitute the call.
43. God gives the best to those who leave the choice with Him
44. God is the blessed controller of all things.
45. Count your blessings; name them one by one.
46. Gratitude is the only way to a happy life.
47. You’ll never be happy with more until you’re happy with what you have currently
48. Forgiveness is incredibly important.
49. Act as if…
50. People will forget what you said. People will forget what you did. But people will never forget how you made them feel. What people say about you has more to do with them than it does about you. No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.
51. Smile. It increases your face value. Man without smiling face should not open shop.
52. Being kind is more important than being right.
53. Cherish those God has given you to love. You never know….make the most of every opportunity.
54. Nostalgia is a very deceptive and dangerous pastime. Learn to live with the past, rather than living in it. It is a real danger to live in the past because, as the saying goes, Nostalgia is never what it used to be. It can cause disorientation, and you kind of lose track of where you are.
55. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path.