I believe that Paul’s “thorn in his flesh” must have been his mother-in-law.

I say that because of my own personal experience. For 44 plus years I have had Pat Hunt as my mother-in-law. Of course, I knew her a few years before Jan and I married in January of 1978. I love her with all my heart and would do anything for her……but, we have had a running feud of picking on each other for all those years. It has been real fun.

I got up this morning to a birthday card lying on my bed. The first one of the day! It was from my mother-in-law. On the front of the card was a Catholic nun who was praying the rosary. The front of the card read “So many Sins…” The inside of the card read “…So little time.”

I do love my mother-in-law! She has set the pace for my day of birthday wishes.

Facebook has made it possible to receive birthday wishes immediately from all those people from my “long” past. Some go so far back as to remember that I was once called “Stevie.” Others are those who I have shared church and mission experiences with. Of course, my family always uses this time to connect–every year I expect a phone call from my brother. He will follow the path of my mother-in-law and will say something inappropriate about my age.

But I love it all. It is a good trip down memory lane. A lane that is growing longer each year. There is no doubt about it, I have done the math, I have more years behind me than I do before me. However, that does not frighten nor depress me. I am looking forward to the “so little time” I have before me.

When Jesus promised us life, He also wanted it to be abundant. For me abundance is not in what I possess but rather the relationships I have made through the years. Wow! I just received a birthday wish from my insurance man–I have never met him. I am so glad he is thinking about me on this special day!! I hope he doesn’t know something I don’t.

It is a great day to be alive. It is a great day to be sixty-seven years old. It is a great day to meet new friends and build lasting relationships. Life is good, because the creator of life is good.

This is my story…