As I sit here and enjoy the last few hours of this age, I think back to how this past year of my life went.  First, I try to remember what happened, as with getting older, my memory isn’t as spry as it once was. 🙂  But with anything, I look back and think of all the things I didn’t do or didn’t accomplish that I thought I would.  But as I do that, I realize that I don’t want to focus on the past, I want to look forward to what’s next.  I can’t fix anything I did wrong; I can’t change anything about the past…the past is the past.  It’s there to look at; to try and do things better this year, but that’s it…the past.  Over. Done with. Unchangeable. Just leave it behind and press onward.

In just a few hours, I’ll be 42 years old.  And as I’ve thought about that today, I find myself pretty excited about it.  I’ve always loved celebrating my birthday, but I’ve never really looked forward to any age…much less when I turned 40.  It’s a cliché, but really, it’s just a number.  It doesn’t define my personality. It doesn’t change who I am as a person.  It doesn’t make me any less of someone because I’m older than I was yesterday.  It’s simply just two numbers put together to become one.  But back to my anticipation of this new year…

Even though it’s technically the middle of the calendar year, I feel like I’m getting a “re-do” for this year…a fresh start.  I’m not really sure why I’m so excited for this coming year, but I just have a peace about it.  I’m excited for the new adventures that are coming.  I’m looking forward to a new season in life. I’m just feeling like it’s going to be a great year…my 42^nd year of life.  God has allowed me to be here for this long so I feel He has great plans for this next year.

So I say, “Goodbye 41…it’s been great, it’s been fun and there’s memories I’ll have with me forever.  Thanks for a great year!”  And then I say…

Hello 42..let’s go…I’m ready! 🙂