40 blessings…and counting

Today is my 40th birthday.

I have been excited about it for weeks.

I know you’re supposed to be anxious about birthdays, particularly the big landmark ones, as you see time slipping by and are ever more aware of all the things you’ve yet to achieve or experience, so I decided to preempt that earlier this year by reflecting on some of the amazing experiences I have had. Because let me tell you, my life has been blessed. Big time.

I decided I would list 40 amazing memories – things I could never have dreamed of doing, seeing or experiencing. The tricky part was keeping it down to 40!

Then I got home this weekend to be greeted by the sight in the picture. Yes, my parents had bought me 40 birthday presents. They’re all beautifully wrapped, and tied with bows – some are even ‘brown paper packages tied up with string’!

Each one has a gift tag on which is a Bible verse about God’s blessings and a note of one of the blessings they see on my life. For someone whose love language is ‘gifts’, this totally spoke to my heart, and my parents are definitely another huge blessing to me (they’re on another list I made, of things I’m thankful for, but I’m not going to share that one here…yet).

So what was on my list? Well, here it is.

Please note, there’s one thing I’d love to include, to do with a recent job interview, that some of you may be surprised not to see. I’m just being discreet about it online, so please don’t mention it in the comments, just know – that was AMAZING too, and another thing I’m incredibly thankful to God for arranging for me – and in my birthday weekend, no less!

OK, no further ado, here you go – I am amazed that I have:

• Stayed in a suite in a central London hotel (Rubens at the Palace)

• Lived on a ship

• Driven across America – GA-OR

• Lived in America!

• Walked through the door of 10 Downing St

• Performed at the Albert Hall

• Lived in central London

• Organised international dance festivals in numerous countries in central America

• Travelled on an overnight train in South Africa – where the guard comes and turns your sofa into a bed while you’re in the dining car

• Had a braai in South Africa

• Discovered that the constellations are upside down in the southern hemisphere

• Visited the southern hemisphere!

• Flown to Australia all by myself

• Flown upper class on Virgin and business class on BA

• Co-written a book

• Performed at the Royal Theatre, Northampton

• Been to Turkey

• Walked in the footsteps of Paul and John in Ephesus

• Been interviewed on TV

• Been PA to an international musician

• Arranged successful music tours around the world

• Climbed a volcano

• Watched a play at the Globe as a groundling

• Seen dolphins dive in front of a ship

• Slept on the deck of a ship in a hammock

• Discovered that flying fish really exist

• Taken tea at the Ritz

• Climbed the Monument

• Climbed the Eiffel Tower

• Climbed Big Ben

• Been to the top of the Empire State Building

• Stood on the roof of the Houses of Parliament

• Milked a cow

• Ridden a camel

• Been phoned by Radio 4 trying to interview me for a radio programme!

• Been to Israel!

• Snorkelled and swum with sting rays

• Seen Sydney Opera House

• Had a blog post go viral

• Been paid for writing an article

God has been so faithful to me and poured so many incredible, amazing gifts into my life, all I can say is, roll on the next 40 years!