Reverb 10|Day 3|Moment

December 3 – Moment.
Pick one moment during which you felt most alive this year. Describe it in vivid detail (texture, smells, voices, noises, colors). (Author: Ali Edwards)

The one moment that stands out most this year in which I felt most alive would be the night my husband, children and church family surprised me for my 40th birthday. It was unbelievable. It was a Wednesday night and my "birthday eve".

I run a kids club on Wednesday nights at our church. I remember feeling stressed because I wanted to gather up some craft items for them to do a project for Thanksgiving. It took me a while to get it all together. Then as we were leaving, I remembered that I wanted my camera. I could not find it! It wasn't where I left it and my family was already waiting in the car. Ugh! I needed to take pictures of each of the children for their project. Oh, well. I had to go.

When we arrived, I noticed that there were quite a lot of cars in the parking lot. Usually, we are the first to get there. I thought that we must be late or something.

When I walked into the sanctuary of our church - it was all decorated in fall colors - balloon arch and everything! As I looked around at the people there - I realized that several of my friends that don't even attend our church were there. As the night went on, my husband proceeded to read letters that he had gathered from my friends and family far away. He even showed some videos from my siblings and nieces and nephews. Several ladies came up and shared a gift of words with me. It was overwhelming in a wonderful way. I cried, I laughed and I reminisced. After all of that, we went to the fellowship hall and it was decorated with more fall colors (my favorite) and there were fall sayings and all kinds of pictures of friends and family on all of the tables. Some of the ladies prepared one of my favorite meals: Chile Verde and one sweet gal made me a beautiful cake. I was showered with gifts and felt so very loved.

I knew in that moment that I was blessed beyond measure. I knew that being 40 only meant that I had come to a point in my life where I knew who my true friends were. I knew that my family valued me and I knew that I had made a difference in some peoples lives.

I was alive and I was well.