Happy Birthday, Liz!

Today is my sister's birthday. Liz is ... well ... she's a year and 15 days older than me. We'll just leave it at that. I feel pretty young still myself, so I would say that Liz is still quite young, too.

Liz is not just young in years, she is young in looks as well! She is quite beautiful, both on the outside, and especially on the inside. One time Liz told me that she had run into some friends of hers that she graduated with and they all looked sooo old to her. She shared with me the reason why she felt they looked old compared to her: Liz's life has not been ravaged by sin like the other women she saw. I'm not saying she's perfect (she's getting there, though!), but her life hasn't been battered by drugs and alcohol and affairs and any other type of immoral lifestyle. She's been dedicated to living a godly life for more than 25 years, and it shows! She shines with the beauty of Christ living in her, and while it is definitely reflected in her inner life, there is no question that it is also reflected in her face.

If you know anything about Gary Smalley's four personality types, Liz would probably score high as a beaver. She is outgoing. She is everyone's friend. She is the life of the party because she can tell great stories and gets everyone laughing. She loves fun and activity. Yet on the other hand, she is very sensitive to others. She knows when someone needs a little attention. She loves spending time with people, and not just people she knows and is comfortable with. Liz is a lot like what I think Jesus wants us to be. She steps out of her comfort zone to reach out to others with a very generous hand and makes them feel as if they are the only ones in the world that matter at that moment. She is amazing!

Liz knows how to make people and events special. When we have parties at her house, she goes all out to decorate, add little touches to spice things up, etc. Several years ago when Taylor and Laurel's cat, Jackie, died, we attended the most beautiful funeral for a cat that you've ever been to (not that most people have ever even been to a cat's funeral, but that's my point!). She planned a little memorial service where we could all share thoughts about Jackie, we had a cat cake, we had tomato soup with cat noodles. It was a very special time because she knew it was important. When Laurel turned four, Liz helped her have a wedding birthday where Laurel was the bride and all of her guests were asked to bring some decorations for the wedding birthday instead of presents. Daddy walked Laurel down the stairs into the living room where the guests were waiting and they had wedding cake for their dessert. Liz just thinks of everything! She's a great mom, I'm sure, because she's a great sister!

My prayer for you this year, Liz, is that you would continue to be used by God in the ways that you have been in the past, and yet so much more. Because of the way God perfectly designed you, you have been able to touch the lives of so many people, and I think He did that on purpose! You show people that God is love, and that He can love them even more than you do! I pray that you will be able to trust Him more this year as He challenges you, and that you will continue to share what you have learned with others. God bless you on your birthday, Liz! I love you!