A Happy Birthday

If I haven't mentioned it before, let me mention it now: I am a blessed girl.
Not everyone is able to enjoy a spouse, family and friends the way I do and I am truly thankful for that.
Last Monday, I celebrated my 24th birthday. My family and friends went above and beyond to make me feel loved on a birthday that isn't even any type of milestone. The gifts were wonderful (and unnecessarily amazing) but the thought that went into the celebrations were what made them the best.

The love fest first started way back in November. While I was at a friends house, I got a message from my sister that simply said "check my Facebook." Once I logged onto the o-so-popular website, I found Julie's status to say, "I am taking my sister to see Bon Jovi for her birthday." The excitement of seeing this wonderfully handsome man in concert did not lesson the entire 5 months we waited for the event! So, a week and a half ago, we loaded up the car, shared a great dinner and then headed for Atlanta! Needless to say, Bon Jovi did not disappoint as he wooed us with both songs of new and old (and his looks of course). Seeing Julie's face while she waited for him to sing "Livin' on a Prayer" was worth the 5 months wait!

Next, came Sunday's family birthday celebration. Not only was it great to hang out with my immediate and extended family, but it was beyond wonderful to hang out with them while eating ribs, mac & cheese (the holiday kind) and mashed potatoes! Man oh man could I eat that everyday! My parents must really love me to spend their already busy weekend preparing food that they know I love.

Once my actual birthday arrived, I already felt overly celebrated. However, Evan did more than he should have to make sure I knew that he remembered my birthday and a surprise video from my friend oversees put me over the top (and did more than make me emotionally unstable). Between eating at a Japanese Steakhouse (I sure do love it when they make the volcano out of the onions and set it on fire) and receiving the very special video (that you can view below) and all the well wishes from practically everyone I know, I cannot help but feel loved and supported this week. And, as a cherry on top, I am able to post this blog with the contraption that Evan surprised me with on Monday night.

Thank you to everyone who loves and supports me. I am truly overwhelmed and blessed.

Video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HL9JUqhfyLs

    

Life's Blessings!

What a week!

I have been beyond honored in the last week to share in the memories of two of the biggest days in the lives of a few of my friends.

First, our friends Maria and Ben brought a perfect baby girl into the World! Ann Shepard Murray came to meet everyone on Wednesday afternoon (and was looking quite comfortable in the arms of strangers by Thursday morning). The only person more beautiful than the new born was her mother, Maria. Maria is always beautiful but you could see the love for her child on her face. The entire family seems to glow! The miracle of birth simple blows my mind!

Then, this weekend, Evan and I were privileged to take part as bridesmaid and groomsman in a special wedding between our friends Whitney and Eric (now the Miller's)! Eric and Evan have served side by side for years in youth and music ministry and they are now able to stand side by side to encouraging each other in their marriages. Whitney was one of the first to take me in when I moved to Alexander City and didn't know a soul. She quickly became a kindred spirit and I was beyond honored to stand beside her while she said "I do."

Both of these occasions have left me to think about the blessings of life.

Evan and I have been married for almost a year and taking part in Eric and Whitney's ceremony gave us a reminder about what marriage is all about and just how special our union is.

Spending time with Ben, Maria and Ann Shepard gave us a look into the future (the far future for those of you who are determined for us to get pregnant).

I am not ready for children yet, but seeing Ben and Maria with their new little one made me smile at the thought of being a parent one day.

When life starts rushing too fast, it is nice to have a reminder of just how blessed we are and see how God is working in the lives of others. I know there are miracles around us everyday, so I challenge you (and myself) to find them in both the big and small things.

Inspired by SPAM

Have you ever sifted frantically through your belongings looking for something you are 99.99% sure you never had? I have.

This past Tuesday afternoon, as I layed out my clothes for Matt Miller's visitation and funeral, I was surrounded by a pile of Sunday best and all I wanted was a SPAM t-shirt (thus insuing the search for a SPAM shirt that I have never owned but thought might appear). Have you ever seen anyone wear a SPAM shirt as proudly or talk so joyfully about SPAM as Matt Miller? I doubt it.

After having no such luck with my wished for wardrobe, I dressed in my black pants and jacket and headed out the door. On the way to the funeral home in Pelham, I reflected on my thoughts of Matt and how he registers pretty high on my "who I respect the most" list.

I have numberous memories of Matt from outings with friends, weddings, Chrysalis weekends and Summer Camp.

Matt was my "go to" guy. As I looked around the funeral home at the hundreds of poeple who had come to hug the family and the hundreds of poeple who came to the church to celebrate his life, I couldn't help but think about how he was the go to guy for so many people and for so many different reasons.

For me, Matt was the go to guy for Summer Camp and Chrysalis questions, ideas and feedback. Others spoke to him about collage, church, hunting, football, relationships and a million other things. With all these people talking and asking, he always kept up the friendship and never left out the needed advise and laughter. Matt never worried about time or what he needed to be doing. He focused on the here and now and whoever he was talking to or helping at the moment.

When I came on board at Sumatanga as the full time Summer Camp Director, Matt knew me and we shared plenty of stories and memories but he had no reason to put as much faith in me as he did. Matt believed in me, shared his belief with the other directors and did nothing but encourage me in a time when I could easily have been cut down or put out. Soon, he became the guy I called when I had any questions about Summer Camp. The curriculum, half of the hiring and my sanity all would have gone out the door for the 2009 camping season without Matt Miller (I suppose I owed him a bit of a salary for all he did).

Matt has been helping me diligently a few times a week to prepare for the 2010 summer and for the Young Adult Chrysalis I will be leading in March. I am missing his input and support desperately. I know that the Lord has blessed me with these opportunities and won't let down but it sure was nice to have an angel on earth to help consult and sooth amidst the madness of ministry.

I am reminded of Matt each time I walk into my office and each time I talk to a camp friend that we have shared a hug or a celebration with. I am honored to live and work at a place where Matt was so influential. I am honored to have known Matt and know that he called me friend.

Matt said I would always be Meagan Gray and forbid me to leave out my original last name off Facebook when I became a Lanier (he was a fan of Evan but didn't like to store changed names to his memory). Matt could jump and scream higher than anyone I've ever met while fencing. Matt loved to sit back at parties and take in everything that was going on while making a commentary to himself. Matt and I shared the unbelievable gift of sweating year round and without control. Matt loved to talk about Alabama football when I obviously wanted to focus on Auburn. Matt was never afraid to take on the hard to answer questions at Chrysalis and was never hesitant about sharing deep parts of himself while preaching and teaching. Matt cared deeply for his friends and accomplished more in 25 years than most people do in 80 simply due to his passion. Matt was the first to admit when someone had a better idea and the last to push his thoughts just for the sake of talking and being right. Matt believed passionately about the message of peace, love and grace (and inspired my facebook and twitter statuses that said the same on January 11th after a long phone call with him). Matt was and always will be an inspiration. Matt has challenged myself and anyone who knew him to be more caring, more passionate and more like Christ.

"I strive to live life different. When I die I want people to say that I had a positive impact on the lives of the people that I came into contact with because I was willing to do things, say things, and give things others only dreamed about, and I want to have have fun while I do it." - Matt Miller

have a look into Matt's life: www.umcmatt.com