Thursday, January 13, 2011

30 is the new Black....

This pic captures the moment my dad's life got totally Katiefied....



So...I turn 30 today. 

 
It's kinda hard to believe.  I don't "feel" 30.  I'm not really sure what 30 is supposed to feel like.  Am I supposed to do something super adulty (like invent a new word)?  Should I invest in stocks or something?   Maybe open a savings account and actually put some money in it?  Perhaps I should consider bringing back the monocle?

Sexy.
 
Turnin' the big 3-0 has had me thinkin' a good bit.  (And obviously, it has also had me dropping the "g" at the end of all -ing suffixes. Whatever...I've earned it.)

Last night, as I was drifting off to sleep, counting birthday wishes on Facebook as if they are sheep, I started thinking about the fact that 30 years ago today God brought me into this world at the exact right time, to the exact right place, to the exact right parents, and all for a purpose only I, Katie McNemar, can serve.  It was a completely overwhelming thought.  I seriously couldn't sleep all night because I just kept talking to God about how special and loved I feel by Him.  I felt completely filled with His love.  I could have been born 3,876 years ago, but I wasn't. I was born on January 13th, 1981 at St. Joseph's Hospital in Buckhannon, WV; the first child of Randy and Sharon McNemar. 

I just read an amazing blog post by Tony Alicea that couldn't be more perfect for this day:
http://www.tonyjalicea.com/2011/01/the-dash-between-the-dates/

Tony is talking about the dash between dates on a gravestone.  That dash is what it's all about.  We can't control when we are born or when we die, but we can do something about the "dash" in between the two.  God brought you to this Earth for such a time and place as this (Esther 4:14).  

A few months ago it really hit me that I am going to be thirty. I don't know what it was about that thought that snapped me back into reality.  It made me realize that my purpose in life isn't to get comfortable where I am.  My purpose is to live out a life that will bring glory to God and bless my family for generations to come.  I don't really think that much about the future.  I'm not married and don't have any kiddos yet, so it's hard for me to think about how my life and the decisions I make will impact people I haven't even met or given birth to yet...but it is important to do so.  I want my children to inherit a legacy that won't rust, rot, or corrupt.  I want my children, and their children, and so on, to inherit the legacy of living for God and bringing Him glory.  Truly...that is the only thing that matters.  I've tried everything else already so that they hopefully won't have to.

So, my birthday gift to myself is that I am going to step out in faith toward the adventure that God has called me to.  How exciting!!!!!!!!!  When I blow out my candles, my wish is going to have the strength, wisdom, perseverance, and discernment  to chase after Jesus no matter how difficult the path.  I will walk by faith and not by sight ( 2 Cor 5:7).  My prayer for all of you is that you truly believe, in the deepest part of your heart and soul, that God loves you so much and has an amazing purpose that only you can serve.  I know you've heard it a million times before, but please, take a minute and really let it sink in. Please!? For me???? Come on...it's my BIRTHDAY!!!  I pray that He show all of us what that purpose is, and give us what we need in order to take the narrow road that leads to Him.  It's not going to be easy, my friends. It certainly will not.  But we're here together.   And if you happen to come across me on your travels....just know this....I'm crazy as hell, but we gonna have us some fun ya'll!

Thank you to all my friends and family who have helped me become who I am today.  Thank you to Jesus for loving me before the universe was ever created.  Wow....just wow.   

Okay ya'll....lets get out there and LIVE!!!!!

Love,

The birfday gurl

And for your viewing pleasure:





One of our dorkier moments, for sure.


The day I was baptized.  My other birthday.










Let me draw your attention away from Kirk's jam pants for a brief moment so that you can take a gander at the fact that I am wearing white sweatpants with white loafers.  Do I even have to mention the glasses or the bangs?  Okay good.

Katie and Heather : )

Aunt Debbie and Uncle Ronnie gettin' totally Katiefied....

Don't give me a microphone. Seriously....

I can WREAD!!!










11 comments:

  1. Happy Birthday! I would sing, but I'm terrible at it, so instead picture the clown from the movie Billy Madison singing:

    "Happy, happy, happy, happy, happy, happy, happy. I am so happy...today! Cuz' I live in the U.S.A."

    And throw "birthday" in there somewhere...

    Seriously, I'm only about 2 months behind you, and I've been thinking about it a lot too. On a spiritual level, turning 30 is a big deal:

    - Jesus' public ministry began when He was about 30 (Luke 3:23)
    - Joseph (Jacob's favorite son) was 30 when he became Pharaoh's #2...that is, his right hand man (Genesis 41:46)
    - David became king of Israel when he was 30 (2 Samuel 5:4)

    So, the biggest moments of these people's lives happened when they turned 30. I say, let's have the biggest moments of our own lives now that we're turning 30!!!

    Happy birthday! :)

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  2. AMEN!!! Thank you so much Jeremy! I can't wait to see what happens this year.

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  3. Happy Birthday! I'm excited to see what God has in store for you next!

    By the way, your blog title cracked me up! and your baptism picture made me cry... so many emotions! ;)

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  4. Happy Birthday, Katie, and thanks for encouraging me to live for what matters!

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  5. I think all you old farts are just having your mid-life crises. Just kidding... I'm only a few years behind you (September 1, 1984), and I've totally felt the "God, what am I doing with my life?" feeling. In fact, I'm in the midst of some serious turmoil in my own life about ministry, and where God is leading me next. Scary stuff, but very exciting as well to be living in faith day to day instead of having a "master plan" for everything.

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  6. So why didn't my first comment show up?!

    Anyway, I said...

    Happy Birthday, Katie, and thanks for encouragin' me to live for what really matters!

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  7. Okay I haven't even read this whole post yet and the first thing I think of is "Wow, Katie's dad looks like a chef." That didn't bode well for how he was looking at you.

    I'll go back and finish reading now...

    Okay I'm back. First, I've been a pretty reserved and mild-mannered guy most of my life. My 30th year changed all that. I would say "adventure" is my middle name but Tony "Adventure" Alicea just doesn't roll off the tongue. Or maybe it does...who knows? Time will tell.

    Second, one of my favorite quotes is:

    "I get up every morning determined to both change the world and have one hell of a good time. Sometimes this makes planning my day difficult." ~E.B. White~

    I thought you might enjoy that. But you can't steal it...it's mine. Okay, you can use it today since it's your birthday.

    Oh and if you continue to exude this much awesomnicity, you are quickly going to become one of my favorite people to cyberstalk.

    Happy Birthday KayTee!

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  8. Kely - I am honored that you visited my blog today. You have one of the most amazing blogs ever. Us country folk gotta stick tagetha.

    Tony - The awesomnicity shall continue, my friend....let the cyber-stalking BEGIN!!! I like your new word. I'm stealing it. You claimed the E.B. White quote, which is awesome with a capital AWE, but I get to steal your new word. By the way, my motto isn't quite as eloquent: "Hard work never killed anyone, but why chance it?" (Just kidding!)

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  9. Happy late birthday!!!

    Loved. This. Post. You are so very right. Sometimes it is difficult to find your larger purpose, but I've found that God does much of His work on us while we wait.

    The "Purpose" we end up with is the faith we've cultivated along the way.

    I hope 30 is an INCREDIBLE year for you!

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  10. Thank you, Knox!!! Amen to all you said. If I'm still here and not kickin' it in my sweet mansion in the sweet by-and-by (wink), then I have a purpose; or a few purposes.

    I asked myself the other day, if God told me that He would take me to Heaven right now...would I stay or would I go? And I actually was a little shocked to find that I would definitely choose to stay. Even with all the hardships, pain, disappointments, and worry...there are so many things that are well worth all of that. Even if they only last a brief moment. There will be eternity to spend with God once I'm gone, but while I am here, I want to tell a great story and I want to be here to be a witness to the stories of my family and friends. :) (sniff sniff)

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  11. Katie!! I'm so late on this - I was at the hospital all day yesterday, not for anything as joyous as your birth, but for a sick friend.

    Happy Birthday! I'm so glad I've "met" the likes of you on the internetz
    -Kristin

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