50 Random Things…..and a BIRTHDAY GIVEAWAY!

WINNERS ANNOUNCED! The winners of my Birthday Giveaway are: Amy E, Christy W, and Amy C. Please check your email inbox for an email from me with details on how to claim your prize!!

Today, my friend Kathie is leading off the HeBrews: A Better Blend Blog Tour. Please click here to pop over and visit her, then come back here for my 50 random things and my birthday giveaways.

50 Random Things……

It all began here on June 16, 1964……

Leah Ann Colwell – One day old

The years have come and gone……and today I turn 50. Fifty! Sometimes I cannot even believe it. Where did the years go?

God has lavished grace upon grace on me in these 50 years. I am one blessed 50 year old, friends. I have Jesus as my Best Friend,a wonderful husband, family, friends, joy, and peace. Yessiree, I am blessed.

Today, as I turn 50, I decided to share 50 totally random things. Some are funny, some are sad, some are precious memories, some are dreams and hopes that lie within my heart, and many are lessons learned. At the end of the list, I will tell you about a BIRTHDAY GIVEAWAY I am doing. Stay tuned.

1. High school/childhood spats and jealousies are in the past. You can enjoy your class reunion and reconnect with old friends.
2. I swim and walk for exercise.
3. I understand more about what is really important in life…Jesus, family, friends, and health.
4. I am terrified of snakes.
5. I am a sugar-holic.
6. The lines on my face are evidence that I have hopefully stored away some wisdom; some of it hard-won, while some came more gently.
7. I understand that it means a lot to my husband for me to simply sit beside him and watch the football game. Even if I never find the ball on the field.
8. It is no longer important to drive the nicest car, live in the biggest house, or wear the latest fashion.
9. Investing time, money, and love in other people brings a lot of joy to my heart.
10. I did not like cheese or liver as a kid. Now, I really like cheese. Liver? Not at all.
11. I got my first mobile phone in 1991. It was installed in my car.
12. Life is a series of moments, and I want to be faithful with each moment.
13. I am able to look back at my life and see how God was very present in each season.
14. I’ve learned the hard way the truth of what my Mother taught you: If you can’t say something nice, for heaven’s sake, keep your mouth shut.
15. Hummingbirds, deer, and other miracles of God’s creation bring great delight to my heart.
16. It’s okay to eat dessert first.
17. I’ve had melanomas removed…twice.
18. I am crazy about hostas.
19. The best thing about summer is canning. Pickles, soups, jams, veggies. Love it all!
20. Yes, I go to bed with the chickens. I also get up with them. Don’t judge!
21. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE to find true wisdom outside of The Bible.
22. Chasing after money, status, or acceptance by other people will only bring heartache.
23. I have been to Israel….twice. The trip of a lifetime.
24. I have been to Egypt….once. No desire to return.
25. I once had a hummingbird land on my head.
26. Humor at other people’s expense is never funny.
27. Love covers…..it doesn’t seek to expose and embarrass.
28. I get all freaked out if my supply of milk or toilet paper runs low.
29. I was saved at 15 at the Youth Evangelism Conference in Macon, Georgia.
30. My nickname in high school was ‘Grace’. I was a bit clumsy.
31. I played the xylophone in the high school band.
32. Telling the truth is important. Telling the truth in LOVE is critical.
33. Meeting physical needs, and showing others you truly care will often earn you the right to share Jesus.
34. My first car was a 1972 Volkswagen SuperBeetle named Herbie that my Daddy rebuilt. Bright orange. Four on the floor. No air conditioning. Engine in the back.
35. It was so cold on the day of my first swimming lesson that the instructor stood on the side of the pool in a jacket. I think it took a couple of hours to thaw out after that lesson.
36. My life verse is Psalm 3:3.
37. I loved Vacation Bible School as a kid.
38. My title is Dr. Leah Adams. I never use it any more.
39. I missed the ‘Here Comes the Bride” cue on our wedding day. Everyone thought I had backed out.
40. The clicking of my Daddy’s leg brace, and the clink of his metal crutches when he walked was always a reminder that Daddy was near.
41. Greg and I rode a Harley for many years. Loved the roar of the engine and the wind in our hair.
42. As a kid, I read every Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys book that came out.
43. I swore I would never move back to Blairsville. God laughed at me.
44. My Daddy called me Leah-Andy. My name is Leah Ann.
45. Some of my best childhood memories involve my grandparent’s basement, a wood stove, a feather bed, mountains of quilts, and the smell of breakfast cooking. Oh, and Lawrence Welk and Hee Haw!
46. I had the best childhood. The best Mom and Daddy. The best life.
47. My love language is acts of service. Want to make me happy? Pick up and clean up after yourself. Offer to help me. Bliss!
48. My husband has taught me so much. I have not always been an eager learner.
49. I adore having young adults pull up to my table and share a meal and some conversation.
50. I want to be remembered for loving Jesus and being faithful to Him.

So, on the occasion of my 50^th birthday…..mercy, that sounds old! On the occasion of my 50^th birthday, I want to do a few GIVEAWAYS to celebrate. Who doesn’t love a giveaway, right?

I will be giving away three books. The first is a copy of my Legacy Bible study, From the Trash Pile to the Treasure Chest: Creating a Godly Legacy, and the second is a copy of my devotion book entitled, When Words Won’t Come. Finally, the third giveaway is a copy of my soon-to-be-released Bible study entitled, HeBrews: A Better Blend. The winner of the HeBrews study will have to wait a bit to receive their prize because the study does not release until July 1^st.

So, how do you win? You leave a comment telling me which of my 50 random things interested you most. If you receive The Point via email and cannot, or do not know how, to leave a blog comment, but still want to enter, send me an email telling me which of the 50 random things you liked best. One entry per person, please. I will draw the winners on Thursday, June 19th. Feel free to spread the word about the giveaways.

Thank you for celebrating my birthday with me.