My Birthday Date With Jesus

I basically thought this day was very low on the todem pole of my birthdays. I had some stuff planned tonight, but because of numerous situations and circumstances in several of my friends' lives, I didn't get to do much. Because the situations could not be controlled by my friends (people in the hospital, etc), I really wasn't too upset that I didn't do much on my b-day. We are just going to celebrate on a different day. But still throughout the day, one is reminded often that it is a birthday, which is, in my opinion, a pretty important day that should be counted worthy of our attention. So even though I really wasn't throwing a pity party, the natural feeling of "wow, it's my b-day" would spring up ever so often and then I was reminded that..."oh...wait...i'll have to celebrate it another day because of this and that and that...."

Anyways...it actually got better. I know what you're thinking. Someone brought me flowers, right? Nope. Someone...asked me to dinner? Negative. Someone...bought me a brand new Taylor guitar? I wish. This is what occurred...I HAD A DATE WITH JESUS. Now. I know that sounds completely ridiculous and just plain cheesy. But I was really shocked because it was planned by Him, not me. He had this night planned all day. He wanted to be with me tonight. Alone!! With me!! So on my 28th b-day, I had a date with the Lord. Do you want to know the details? Ok, Ok...of course you do!...everyone wants to know the details of a good date, right? This is how it went...I sat on my couch at approximately 8:30pm wondering what in the heck I was going to do for the rest of the night. I have been so busy lately that my guitar playing has been slackin, so I thought of the most wonderful idea. I decided to get my guitar and go outside. I do this every so often...it's just something about being in nature in a place where it's quiet that does my heart good. It just brings such a rest and peace on the inside of me that is so very often needed. So...i walk outside and sit down first on the chair in my back yard and just started playing a little....sang a little...played a little....sang and played a little. The most beautiful sunset began to form. So I sang a little and watched the sunset...played a little and watched the sunset...and thanked Him for that sweet little reminder that His mercies are new every day! When the sun rises in the morning new mercies await me! What good news. They never run out, which is good because I've used up a lot of His mercies and need so much more! No worries -- He has a brand new supply for us every 24 hours! Then, as the sun went down, I moved from the chair, which was under the porch, to sitting on the concrete under the sky. I sang a little...played a little...and watched the sky change colors until black covered it. Then, I layed down on the ground! I've never layed down before while playing my guit. But there was just something about tonight that made me want to look into the sky. So I did just that...and hoped there were no bugs that were going to get me! And I sang to the Lord. And played to the Lord. And gazed up at the huge sky with so many stars staring down at me. And the whole time realizing that the Lord had this whole date planned out for me on my b-day. I thought, "Lord, you just wanted me to yourself tonight, didnt' you?! Ha! You did, didn't you!! You rascal! I love you!" I was enjoying myself singing into the sky knowing that my voice echoed all the way into the heavens into the very heart of God. I can't see Him, but He sees me. He heard my little voice! I thought about my 28 years on the earth and how He has taken care of me, loved me, and covered me. Then the most incredible thing happened. He spoke to me. AAAAAAhhhh! I know, I know! God speaks to us a lot, but I never want to get so accustomed to Him speaking to me that it becomes just another part of my life. I love that God speaks to us and honestly, I love hearing His voice and knowing that He is paying attention to my little life in Norman, OK! There is nothing like it. Just knowing that He loves me enough that He wants to tell me something, anything! I don't care what it has to do with or how important it is or isn't. Just the mere fact that God wants to say SOMETHING - ANYTHING to me just wrecks me! I live for the times that I know He speaks to me - it's like food for my soul that just echoes from year to year.

So do you want to hear what He told me? It's the best thing EVER (considering how my day had gone). I get goosebumps thinking about it - and I hope when you read it you capture the essense of the moment like I did. He spoke this into my heart: "Marci, you have an audience tonight. There is no one around you that you can see, but you have gotten the attention of angels that have joined in your singing tonight. You may think you are alone on your b-day, but you are not! You are surrounded by an audience of worshippers!" DO YOU REALIZE WHAT THAT DID TO MY LITTLE HEART??!!! For crying out loud people --- Do I feel loved or what? I mean here I was thinking that I was goign to have a yucky and bored b-day, when all the time the Lord had planned a date with me and the angels! Is that not the sweetest little story you have ever heard! Is that not like our Lord! My heart is stunned by His incredible love -- that He would notice me on such a day like today and know that it is important to Him as well! So there ya go - my wonderful b-day date! What a gift!