And now I sit and reflect upon the last 365 days and wonder if I will see yet another 365 more to my next birthday.  Last year in 2010 I was personally involved in the officiating of 15 funerals and sadly had to say goodbye to both my grandparents that I had loved very much.

What will people say about me at my funeral if my life ceases before my next birthday arrives?  What contribution is my life making to this world?  Do I make other people’s lives better because I was born or more miserable?

A friend of mine, Wesley Torres, said this, “We too often give thorns to the living and roses to the dead”

What impression am I leaving on people?
Does it uplift Christ?
Does it show appreciation and love and respect?

John Wesley said, “Do all the good you can, to all the persons you can, as long as ever you can.”

It hurts me to see so much fighting in many of the families I know.  So much divorce and hatred between some couples who where once married and “in love”.  Have spent years together, have children together, and now their primary focus is to do everything they can to make the other person’s life “as miserable as possible”, as one person has explained it.

What a sad and pitiful accomplishment in life.  Many of these people would have to admit, “I haven’t made much of a positive contribution to other people’s lives, but I made her/his life as miserable as hell and I’m proud of it.”

So who am I?  What does my birthday represent to others?  Happiness or misery?

Are my kids happy to call me dad?  Do I make my wife feel special and appreciated or over worked and unappreciated?  Is God proud to call me His child?

Birthdays need to be a reality check.

Today is my birthday and it causes me to stop and think and give God praise.  Thank-you Lord for this moment in my life that you have given to me.  For the past 365 days from my last birthday that I have been able to spend with my beautiful and loving wife and precious children.  Thank-you God for happiness, health to my bones, and the experience of love.

And God, I ask you to help me live the remaining days of my life filled with all that fulfills your will.  And may each birthday of my life signal a reality check of who I am and where I need to be.

Every year people make New Year’s resolutions, and they quickly learn how hard they are to keep.

In fact, one survey taken a few years ago revealed that 70 percent of all New Year’s resolutions are broken in the first 7 days of January.

Top 10 New Years Resolutions:

1. Spend More Time with Family & Friends

2. Spend more time with God

3. Get Moving into Fitness

4. Lose some weight

5. Quit Smoking

6. Enjoy Life More

7. Quit Drinking

8. Get Out of Debt

9. Learn Something New

10. Get Organized