Happy Birthday to Rodney Down Under

Today is Rodney Olsen's birthday. He's a young 45. By the time Rodney reads this in Australia it will be the day after but I wanted to alert our Pals who know Rodney that he's celebrating today. Maybe Terry could bake him a cake. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, RODNEY! God bless you richly.

Rodney posted this on his The Journey blog:

How does one keep from “growing old inside”? Surely only in community. The only way to make friends with time is to stay friends with people…. Taking community seriously not only gives us the companionship we need, it also relieves us of the notion that we are indispensable.- Robert McAfee Brown

Thank you for being part of my community. Thank you for helping me stay young on the inside.

Growing old is an interesting thing. It seems I don’t have the same excitement for birthdays as I one did. These days it’s more about being grateful to have reached another one.

I must say that being 45 today feels much the same as 44 did yesterday. When I look at all the years that have gone past I can see the extra wrinkles and feel the stiffness in my back but when I just look at life day to day the change is never as great. I know that I must have slowly matured through time but I still keep wondering when I’m going to grow up.

I have so much for which to be thankful. I am married to a lady who is beautiful in every way. I have two extremely clever children who make me proud in so very many ways. Each day I cycle to work to do a job that I thoroughly enjoy. Life is good.

At 45 I’d have to admit that I’m probably more than half way through this life but if God decides to let me live into old age I’ve still got plenty of years to come. I intend them to be good years. There’s still so much to accomplish and so many good times to be experienced.