7 Milestones You Should Celebrate

 

It was 7 years ago today....Monday, September 11, 2017, that I walked through the front door at First Baptist Burleson to start my new (GOD) sized adventure. It was God sized because its not every day you wait 365 days for God to move in your life. That's exactly why I chose the new start date when offered the new position. Of course when looking back on that year long sabbatical, God was moving all around me teaching me, molding me, changing me, and strategically placing people in my path that would lead me to where I came on this day 7 years ago. (GOD)

That year long sabbatical came to a close with a phone call, out of the blue, from someone I did not know or had ever met. Christopher Cass was the Executive Pastor at First Baptist Burleson who called me at home one Thursday morning telling me that my name was given to him by three different people to call about a position at his church. (GOD). The following Sunday Becky and I attended worship services at the church which was 4 hours from where we were living. Everything about our visit was confirming this was the place God had picked out for us. (GOD).  I was offered the position and within a week or so I was in my new office with a window overlooking Burleson, Texas. Seven years later I am now known as the fastest hire ever made there. (GOD). Within weeks we found an amazing home of our dreams that we both fell in love with and moved in a couple months later. (GOD) There was a white silk glove laying on my office desk that day I started and when I slipped it on, it fit perfectly. (GOD) 

This will give you goosbumps! Prior to the phone call I had asked Becky if we could move anywhere, where would she want to be. She responded with the Fort Worth area. At the time all three of our adult children were within an hour of Fort Worth. When I asked Christopher on the phone call that day where his church was located, he responded Burleson, Texas just a few minutes south of....Fort Worth. (GOD)

Another milestone was created in my life that needs to be and has been celebrated ever since. Today, September 11, 2024  marks that milestone for me at First Baptist Burleson. I'm a firm believer in celebrations so, allow me to share mine.

Birthdays - I celebrate my birthday all month long each year. This year is my lucky number 7 as I slide into 70 years 

Wedding Anniversaries - this December I get to celebrate 48 years with the same wife. She is  amazing!

Children - I am blessed and get to celebrate three adult children that are amazing and fill my life with fun and great childhood memories as they grew up.

NGD - that's when I get to buy a new guitar. I am bless to have a wife that encourages my addition to playing, buying, and selling guitars. Last count - 16

Friends for Life - I got to graduate from high school with the same people I went to elementary school with. This October I get to celebrate my birthday with my best friend since 5th grade.

Faith - I get to celebrate, every day, the day I placed my faith in Christ in 1981 in the living room of my home along with Becky at the same time.

Work - I get to celebrate every year where God places me to serve Him. 

"Always celebrate when you can, and celebrate for as long as you can". Rick Cadden

 

What about you? What do you celebrate? Comments?

DREAM BIG

 

The first day of the new year is the perfect day to dream big. I’m not talking about New Year resolutions that most people don’t follow through with anyway. Ask yourself this question; what do I need to change, add, or delete in my life? If you’re like me, you could probably come up with a list of things, but as you make your list, be on the lookout for one that’s BIG. 

 

Which one stands out the most to you? Which one have you always wanted to do but haven’t? Which one would be awesome, but seems way too big for you? That’s the big dream!

Big dreams are the ones that seem so big they are impossible to accomplish. They are bigger than you and even your friends and family would roll their eyes if you told them your dream. 

The movie A Million Miles Away portrays the true story of Jose Hernandez who as a kid dreamed of being an astronaut. He was the son of a migrant who worked in California and didn’t learn to speak English until he was 12. Long story short he studied long and hard and became an engineer and then applied to NASA 11 times before he was accepted and joined the crew on the STS 28 NASA flight to space. 

 

To dream big goes beyond contentment. You may look at your list and be content with just making a few changes in your life. Or you may be thinking I'm too old to dream big now. 

 

Colonel Harland Sanders was 63 years old when he franchised his secret recipe for fried chicken becoming known as Kentucky Fried Chicken 

However, contentment doesn’t build big dreams! Don’t hear me say that contentment is a bad thing. It’s not! Think about people who are always complaining about what they don’t have or what they can’t do but never make a change. If they were just content with what they did have or can do, they would be much better off. Right? I’m just saying that dreaming big is, well, something you may be missing out on. 

 

There is non-contentment, contentment, and dreamers. It’s interesting to me that the first one is being unsatisfied, the second one is being satisfied, and the third one is being unsatisfied again!

Back to your list… you're going to make one, aren’t you? Start with something new and different. What would you change, add, or delete in your life that will make it better to improve your life? If there is a big dream in there somewhere then go for it. Write your list down, take action, and get started!

 

 Leave a comment about this article. Was it helpful to you?