Looking at the Sky

In addition to being my birthday, tomorrow is also the Feast of the Ascension. After the Resurrection, Jesus spent 40 days making various appearances to His Apostles and others, and on that last day, He took His followers up to a mountaintop. After sharing a few final words of promise and hope, He ascended back up to Heaven, where He would remain until the end of time, when He comes again. To quote the text;

"When he had said this, as they were looking on,he was lifted up, and a cloud took him from their sight.While they were looking intently at the sky as he was going, suddenly two men dressed in white garments stood beside them. They said, "Men of Galilee,why are you standing there looking at the sky? This Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven will return in the same way as you have seen him going into heaven."

What a wonderful Birthday message! Essentially the angels are telling the Apostles, stop staring at the sky, and start looking forward! The apostles had a lot of work to do. They were wasting time standing there staring at the heavens when they should have looked forward and begun their life long mission of preaching and spreading the Gospel.

Don't we spend too much time staring up instead of looking forward? Too much time dwelling on the areas of our lives where we want improvement. I cant tell you how many nights I have spent sitting at a bar venting to a friend about the aspects of my life I wished were different. I will never forget the night I was sitting at my favorite watering hole, The Alley Cat, and my beloved bartender Cathy said, "Instead of sitting here bitching about it do something to change it!" How right she was!!

Today on the cusp of my birthday I find myself staring up. Dwelling on those things I wish were different, but I have no power over to change. I find myself thankful for the many blessings I have in my life. I find myself grateful for my job, that I often may bitch about, but I should be grateful to have one at all, especially such a good one. I find myself grateful for the friends I have that I take so often for granted. I find myself grateful for my roommate, who is more then family or a friend, and who I don't show my love for often enough. I have a colorful and unique past, which I often scowl upon. I have a history of sorrow, that ironically has yielded so much joy. I have a wonderful boyfriend, who has made me so happy, and I pray will continue to do so in the time to come. Most of all I have a life full of love, joy, and hope that so often I don't value enough.

As this Birthday approaches I take the advice of those Angels at the site of the Ascension, and look forward. I look forward to the coming year with my Boyfriend, friends, and other countless blessings. I look forward to another year and all the memories I will build in it. I look forward to the many surprises and accomplishments that I know will come.

When Jesus shared His final words with His followers, they pried to try and get a few last answers out of Him before He left. His answer was simple, "It is not for you to know the times or seasons that the Father has established by his own authority." I look forward to all the joys and sorrows the Lord has in store in the coming year. The sorrows will only serve to make me stronger, and the joys will provide encouragement when I need it.

So here I am, living the last day of my 27th year. Who knows what the next year will bring! I promise you this though, I know that if I face each day looking forward instead of looking up, there will be nothing that I can't handle...and everything will only help me grow. So come on, 28! Bring me everything you have, I look forward to it all! After all, it can't be that bad, it's not like I'm turning 30. ;)