28 Years!

"We turn not older with years, but newer everyday." Emily Dickinson

Emily Dickinson and I have become re-aquainted with each other the last several months. While I lack the words to express my thoughts, she has captured them perfectly for both of us, including my thoughts on my birthday. As I celebrated 28 years last week, I celebrated the relationships I've made this year, the things I've learned from my family and co-workers, the discoveries I've made about Father and His faithfulness, and the challenges and joys that are developing me into the daughter, sister, friend, and servant that I want to be. In the last year I think I may have cried more than I ever have. Yet, I think I have also laughed harder and drank deeper and ran faster (literally) than I ever have! All because of Father's faithfulness and love.

What exactly does one do on her birthday in the Middle East? Well, on my birthday, my roommate Amanda took me out to breakfast where I ordered a cream cheese and honey pita! Following that, I had an Arab-style dance party. (In this culture, girls don't dance in front of boys, so my party was culturally appropriate and only included girls.) We had belly dancing skirts (colorful skirts with dangling bells), and henna. My American friends and I all wore blue jeans and t-shirts, but my Arab friends showed up in stilleto high-heels and fake eyelashes. The Arab girls taught us belly dancing, and we taught them some hip hop and line dancing in return. That night, my co-workers took me out for Italian food. Dancing, henna, italian food, a package from home (thanks, mom!), and time with friends... I cherished every moment. I didn't deserve a birthday filled with such laughter and dancing! (I grew up dancing- ballet, tap, lyrical, country two-stepping, and the high-school dance team, and its something I've really missed while living here.)

That night I reflected on all the undeserved blessings of the past year- which included the wonderful people in my life in Arabia and in the States, trips across the U.S., time with my sisters and parents, increase of Arabic, a chance to make a home in Arabia, and even times of trial and bruising in which Father was taking me to a deeper, newer place with Him. I look forward to more years of growing older, or as Emily says, turning newer.