Tomorrow’s my birthday, so I suppose today’s my birthday eve. I’ve been telling people that I’m going to be 30 plus shipping and handling this year.

I’ve enjoyed being in my 30’s so much that I’ve been there for 16 years. Nothing like a little change of perspective to make growing old sound less . . . . old.

Anyway, I made it through another year. That’s not something I take for granted anymore. I’ve known of too many who didn’t make it to 46, including some family and friends.

The best way to stay young in my opinion is to try to think positively as much as possible and to always have an attitude of gratitude, especially for the small things. Like waking up every morning. Like the ability to walk and talk. Like another beautiful sunny day.

So happy birthday eve to me (and to everyone else who shares February 28 as their birthday). May it be another good one.

“Some day you will read or hear that Billy Graham is dead. Don’t you believe a word of it. I shall be more alive than I am now. I will just have changed my address. I will have gone into the presence of God” (Billy Graham)

I just read where the funeral of Billy Graham will be held on March 2, honoring 99 years of one of God’s most faithful servants.

I’m sure Billy Graham would be embarrassed at all this fuss being made about him. He’d say that he was a simple Baptist preacher who surrendered to God’s call on his life so many years ago. He simply made himself available, and God did all the rest.

But Billy Graham is really not dead.

I don’t mean that the media or some other organization faked his death to whisk him away to a secret location.

I mean that he’s fully healed and fully alive in the very presence of the Jesus he proclaimed from his very first sermon to his very last.

That’s true of any of those who have put their faith in Jesus. For them, death is not the end, but the beginning of the real adventure. They are the ones who are truly alive.

To all those who are uncertain of their eternal status, I urge you to watch this short invitation from Rev. Billy Graham himself.

As per usual, I’m taking my usual break from all things social media for Lent, with the notable exception of Timehop, where I get to see what I was doing and where I was on this day last year, 2 years ago, 3 years ago, etc. I get to see pictures of my old cat Lucy when she was happy and healthy and not sick.

I’m also fasting from Netflix. That means no Sons of Anarchy, no Bates Motel, and no Lemony Snicket until after April 1. That’s been the one that I’ve missed the most.

Social media on the other hand? Meh. I’m not missing that as much these days. I definitely don’t miss all the negative political posts that will most like likely end up changing no one’s mind but rather be read and approved by people who already agreed with their positions in the first place.

Also, I’m forgoing Candy Crush. Just an FYI.

For me, Lent fasting is partly to make time for God to speak and for me to hear His voice in His word. It’s also partly to show that these things, i.e. social media, Netflix, Candy Crush Saga, don’t control me and that I can live without them.

At this point, I’ve made it through 9 days. Only 35 more to go.

I read recently that if 40 is the new 30, then why can’t Thursday be the new Friday?

Well, for me at least it’s Friday Eve. I know it doesn’t quite have the impact of Christmas Eve in terms of excitement, but for those who have had a long, if not necessarily bad, week, Friday Eve comes as sort of a welcome relief.

I for one am looking forward to turning off my alarm clock on Friday night and sleeping in to my little heart’s content on Saturday.

It’s good to celebrate the little victories, like making it through another week. Like waking up this morning. Like the ability to write (or read) these blog posts that sometimes are very last minute, off the cuff products.

Happy Friday Eve!