Today is thanksgiving in the USA, and I have a lot to be thankful for. I have a great husband and two beautiful children. We are all healthy and happy. I live in a warm sunny place that does wonders for the serotonin levels in my brain. I’m thankful for my home, friends and faith. I’m thankful for my purpose in life and the deep contentment and peace in my heart. And…… most of all I’m thankful for my life. Today is my birthday.
I am no longer a spring chicken. The days of my youth have passed. And you know what? I’m ok with that. No problem at all. My security and contentment do not rest in what others make of me. It doesn’t rest in how I look or what I can do. It lies in something far deeper than passing things. It lies in something eternal.
Do you struggle with insecurity? Are you content with who you are? Where does your worth and security lie?
A huge Happy Thanksgiving to all of you beautiful Americans. I am thankful for you.
Yes, the photo is of me. It was taken during a performance when I was still dancing.
Published by stacilys
I’m just a simple girl that is passionate about being relevant and making a difference in this world.
World traveler, lover of bright sunny days, experiencing cultures, good friends and conversation. I love my God and love my family.
I don’t believe that I have the Truth, but that I have a relationship with Truth and want to be closer to Him.
Canadian, born and raised in Vancouver, BC. YWAMer since 2000 and have traveled and lived all over the world –Hong Kong, China, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Afghanistan, Turkey, Germany, Argentina, Australia and The USA.
I moved to Brazil in 2002, married an awesome “Baiano”, Daniel, and we have two adorable kiddies, Caue and Hannah.
I am certified in fitness and nutrition and conducted physical conditioning classes while working with an arts and evangelism team and schools. I am also certified in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) and TEYL (Teaching English to Young Learners).
"A God Coloured Girl in a Grey World" is my blog where I write articles based on my faith, post fitness routines, recipes and other health and wellness stuff. You can also check out a bit of my music at www.myspace.com/stacilys
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Happy Birthday! Hope you are having a wonderful day 🙂
Thank you so much. So far it’s been awesome. The sun was shining, it’s nice and warm, going for dinner with my family, going to eat some yummy cake. Perfect so far.
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Beautiful birthday thoughts, Staci.
Thank you David.
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A beautiful post! Happy Birthday and Thanksgiving to you! 🙂
Awww, thank you Georgette for your kind words.
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May your life be filled with good things to be thankful for as ours are filled with thankfulness for you.
Thank you so much Mihrank. It is filled with wonderful things. And thank you for such kind words. So sweet.
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I am thankful on this day of thanksgiving to call you my friend. Happy Birthday, Staci!!!
Awwww Rob, thanks so sweet. Thank you so much. I am also thankful to call you my friend.
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Great post and I love the way you posted it over a photo like that. Happy, happy birthday. I’m so glad life is so good for you. Love and hugs, N ❤
Thanks Natalie. Hehe, yes this photo is a little funky. This specific photo was taken during a big performance that we had rehearsed hard for. This specific dance was a jazz dance, and part of the costume included band of colorful straws. Different eh?
Love and hugs Natalie.
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A beautiful photo, Staci. You inspire me and I’m thankful for you. xx
What a sweet thing to say. Thank you so much Audrey. I’m thankful for your too, my friend.
Hehe, this photo was taken during a dance performance, where the costume included a band of colorful straws. Different eh?
Hope you had an amazing Thanksgiving.
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You were and are beautiful. Happy birthday, lovely Staci – may the years continue to be graceful to a graceful lady. ❤
Thank you so much Kate for your kind words. That’s so sweet.
I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving.
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A belated Happy Thanksgiving and “Feliz Aniversario” para voce, Staci! I hope it was full of good things. 🙂
Another beautiful poem too, which addresses an issue I think a lot of people struggle with, myself included. I confess I still haven’t reached the place the poem describes, where I am truly content with and fully accept myself. I feel like I should have, but it’s an ongoing process, I guess.
Thanks for sharing, though…your poems are always uplifting and a joy to read!
Thank you so much April. I had a great time. And the celebration continues tonight with friends of ours. We always celebrate my birthday with them, another couple. We eat too much and laugh and talk. It’s always great. And this year will be our last time doing this. being that we are moving back to our base (as you already know). Last night we just celebrated as a family. I have to confess, I lap up my bday. I consider it my big day. I think I drove my hubby nuts yesterdays with it all. hehehehehe
Concerning being content and accepting myself, it’s been a long uphill road to get to this point. Oh sure, like most women, I still go through not liking things about my body or appearance. I’ve just learnt that life here is so brief and passing. God has done so much healing in me, and taught me so much that it’s wonderful to finally get to a place where I don’t give into societal expectations of what it means to have a successful life.
How are you doing, by the way? How’s uni? How are your plans coming along for Brazil? Can’t wait to meet you and spend some time together. Our base is a great place.
Blessings.
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So glad you had a blessed birthday!
I just finished my application for the Brazil study abroad program the other day, so it remains to be seen if I’ll be accepted, but my major concern is really how to pay for it if I am accepted. More hinges on that than anything else, as to whether I go or not. I’m hoping I can get some scholarship money. Anyway, I’ll keep you posted! I really hope we can meet up.
College life is stressful, but I’m hanging in there!
Ohhhh, yes, gotta love that little pest ‘lack of money’. I hope you do get the financing or scholarship. That would be great.
I have to admit, I don’t envy you with the stress of college life. Hang in there April. Soon enough it’ll be over.
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A beautiful message. Inner beauty is much more important than outer beauty, though I tend to think that beautiful is always beautiful. Beauty may change but it can never be diminished. Happy Birthday! I hope it turned out special. You’re well-deserving of the best.
Benjamin, you always have the nicest things to say. Thank you. I had a great birthday, and tonight we’ll be celebrating again with a some friends of ours. Last night was just the family, and tonight with our friends, another couple. We always meet on my birthday, and eat something really caloric and yummy. We talk and laugh and it’s great.
As for beauty, yes, I think that as we get older, or age the physical beauty starts to fade. But if we have teachable hearts, our inner beauty becomes stronger. And that’s what goes with us beyond life within the parameters of time and space I believe.
You have a great weekend Benjamin, full of fun and rest and relaxation and many laughs.
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Well, that all sounds fun. Enjoy all of it. And thanks for the well wishes. I’ll try my best :). You have all sorts of beauty around you. Have a wonderful weekend!
I love your poem. It speaks directly to how I have been feeling lately, that our age is a reflection of our blessings. I, too, love to post my poems on pictures. (Unfortunately, I haven’t gotten my first one posted on my new blog yet.) Thank you for sharing! Hope you had a great birthday.
Awwwwwww, thanks. I’m so glad you could relate to this. I find that the older I get, the more content and at peace I am in my life.
Aren’t poetry and images the best? I love the words and images together. I think it makes it that much stronger. I’m a complete sucker for eye candy. Can’t wait to see your work.
My birthday was awesome. That’s for the nice wishes. I had a really great time.
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Glad you had a great birthday. It makes that added year better. I’ll give you the heads up. I got my first poem & Picture scheduled for tomorrow 11/30. 😉
Great! I saw it already. Isn’t it awesome working with the two art forms. I think it’s so gratifying.
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Well done 😉 And happy birthday. You still don’t look a day past forty. Also the picture in the background is that you? When you have time check my poem and tell me what you think?
https://thebrokenandthelonely.wordpress.com/2014/11/28/a-long-walk-home/
Awwww, thanks Franz. And byw, congratulations on the win over The Reverie.
Hahaha. Not a day over 40 eh? Hopefully people will be saying that when I get to 50.
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Lol yeah people don’t really feel the next decade until the next decade. Lol
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And thank you tons 🙂
Happy birthday Staci! You are as young as you want to be 😉
I admire your deep contentment and peace.
There are many things that challenge my security in who I am, my peace, my contentment. I find gratitude to be a very potent remedy. The more thankful I am in good times and bad times, the stronger I become.
Thanks Timi. Yes, I agree @ “You are as young as you want to be. I don’t feel old. Maybe just a bit wiser 😉 Oh yes, gratitude is a very potent remedy indeed. I have a friend that once told me that when she gets down and wants to complain, she reads the newspaper. You can’t help but be thankful when you see the news. Eek.
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What a beautiful, touching message.
Thank you Laura. I’m glad you liked it.
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Always feels good to be a little different.
Haha. Yes,it dies. I’ve never been one of the ‘normal ones’. Where’s the fun in that?
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Such wonderful thoughts Staci – you have captured the essence of you! What greater recipe is their for happiness than gratefulness! Thank you for sharing 🙂
Ohhhh, thank you so much Anjali. I’m so glad you think so.
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Aw. Happy late birthday. I hope it was wonderful
Hi Mark. Thank you. Yes, I had a great birthday. I think I need to do a detox now. Too much food. Too many calories. Too much scrumptious cake. Hehehe.
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Staci, Happy Birthday! Lovely poem and great picture! I like your attitude, very much of self-acceptance, beautifully stated! It seems the older we get, the wiser we get! Please take good care, and have a wonderful Monday!
Warm wishes,
Pepperanne
Thanks Pepperanne. I had a great birthday this year. YEAH! And yes, you are so right. The older we get, the wiser (or at least, more accepting) we get. We don’t fret the small stuff anymore. Things seem to be more light. For that I am truly thankful.
You have a great Monday too.
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Happy birthday!! – a little late 🙂
Haha, thanks Chris. I had fun.
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Hey, hey hey.
First of all, a very happy [belated] birthday! May your years ahead be those full of joy, happiness and love!
Second, I love the poem. It’s so divine. So beautiful…!
Thirdly, I think I am still searching for it. That inner peace which the poem portrays or the struggle which you talk about in the questions, that. Hoping things turn out best in the end, like they do. 🙂
Maria
Ohhhhhh, thank you so much Maria. You have truly encouraged me today, my friend.
You know something, the older one gets, the more the little things seem just that, little. I’ve never been more content as I am now, and each year that continues to grow. I’m thankful for so much – my health, family, faith and God, creativity, life.
I’m hoping things turn out best in the end for you too sweetie.
Many blessings to you.
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That’s so nice. Living and being content with the present as it continues– may these joys always increase for you, kind person! It’s always good talking to you, thank you! ♥
And always good talking with you Maria. Thank you so much for your kind words. And you’re welcome.
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The pleasure is mine. 🙂 ♥
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Absolutely beautiful. I’ve struggled most of my life with self-esteem issues. God and I have been really working hard on this for the last little while. I try to see myself through His eyes of love instead of my eyes of judgment! Thank you for posting this sweet friend!
Self-esteem is a tough one, isn’t it? If I wasn’t such a health and fitness freak, and was heavier and not as in shape as I presently am, I would be constantly kicking myself. I guess as I get older, gravity will have its way. Hmmmmmm. As for now, I’m content with my body (sometimes 😉 )
But you know, it’s so much more than that. It’s been a long up-hill trek, but I’m glad I am where I am today, and not stuck back in my 20s. Now the 20s we’re very difficult.
Ohhhh, you’re so very welcome. And thank you so much for your kind words Kirsten.
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Thankfully, I eat extremely well (clean eating no processed foods) and I enjoy exercising. I know that both of those things will help me as I grow older. I’m in my mid-40’s and healthier now than when I was in my 30’s.
Gravity is NOT a woman’s best friend…just saying 🙂
Hahahahaha. “Gravity is NOT a woman’s best friend…just saying”
–That made me laugh. I agree whole-heartedly.
I was an obsessed fitness addict in my 30s, but my 20s were not always the greatest. Oh sure, I ate a lot of veggies and all, very little meat too, but I ate a ton of sugar and chocolate as well. I even dreamt once that there was a brightly lit cart at work with shelves and it was full of all sorts of chocolates. I was taking so many of them and saying to myself, “Oh, I’ll take this one, and this one, and this one, and this one”(imagine me rubbing my hands and drooling like a greedy dog). I was hoarding them all in the closet and then going back for more. Agh. No more though. Just a piece of dark chocolate every so often (ok, a little more then every so often, but just a little 🙂 )
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Dark chocolate is actually really good for you. If you can find organic sweetened with beet juice – it’s even better 🙂 I was a fitness addict in my 30’s too (exercised 3 or more hours a day). Then when I was in the hospital the Neurologist told me she thought my ocular migraines were being triggered by the high impact aerobic and my body’s issue with low potassium. I cut out the high impact aerobics and everything got better. Now, I exercise daily, but it is low impact. It keeps me at a healthy weight.
I was a binge eater for years and it finally contributed to me having a stroke at the age of 32. But hey, I came to the Lord at the age of 33 so it is all good 🙂
Really? Wow, I just keep learning all sorts of stuff about your life adventure. A stroke? That’s heavy stuff.
I used to teach physical conditioning classes for the arts team we were a part of, as well as in our performing arts school. I would teach for about 3-5 hours in the afternoon, then I’d do my own stuff as well. When we were in Argentina, I was in the gym for 3 hours a day, plus doing two jazz dance classes a week. Plus walking all over the place. Then I had kids. Now I do about 20 minutes of HIIT daily, strength work, and run for about 10 minutes after.
That’s crazy that you got migraines from exercise. Wow. It’s tough to find good organic dark chocolate here, unfortunately. I did, however, find bigger dark chocolate organic chips, but you have to buy over a kilo of it. Pretty pricey though. About $18.00 or so for 1.2 kilos (about 2 1/2 lbs).
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Wow, that is a lot of exercise!!! I think the migraines were a combination of things, low potassium levels, issues with my back & neck from a car accident, and I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia soon after that. I think the exercise just exacerbated everything. Thankfully, I’ve found a workout program that works for me and it keeps my bloodwork looking good. I also learned, that I was overdrinking water every day. Can you believe that?!? lol
I’ve heard that before, that one can over drink water. Just goes to show you that there is a such thing as too much of a good thing.
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Great opening, Stace. The simplicity works so well here. Nice job with the rhyme and message.
Thanks Diana. I thought a post as such was befitting for my 41st. Seems the older one gets, the more we don’t sweat the small stuff and become more content in our own skin. At least that’s my experience.
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An extremely belated Happy birthday Staci ❤
I love this post with the picture you chose 🙂
As for me, I'm still searching but I'll find myself
big hugs ❤
Thank you M.T. This picture was from back in the days that I still danced. I like all the colorful straws on top of my head. Hahaha.
Awwwww, still searching? I hope you find yourself and then love your yourself immensely.
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