Much of this blog, blindsided, is about retirement and the age of 40.  I turned 40 yesterday.  If what they say is true about life beginning at 40, then this is where everything begins.

I had a lot of time to do some thinking yesterday while watching my son's golf game.  I saw him tee off at hole #1 but couldn't see any further action until he came around again within full view at hole #5.  So here are some random thoughts tumbling in my mind within those three holes that I couldn't see my son playing.

1) Life doesn't really begin at 40.  For any person, real life begins the moment he/she accepts Jesus Christ as Lord/Savior/Ruler/Boss/Manager.  Whatever age that event takes place in one's life, that is when real life begins.  After all, we don't really know what life is all about until THE Author of Life maps it out for us.  I am extremely thankful that I was introduced to the real and living Jesus Christ in my college days.  Why do I say "the real and living Jesus Christ"?  It's because prior to that eventful day in 1984, Jesus for me was merely a "religious construct" - an idea which prodded me to try to stay on the right side of the road and avoid mishaps with sin, wrongdoing, and breaking the law (whether human laws or Divine laws).  I thank the many people who had a part to play in this wherein I eventually surrendered to God and said, "Jesus , come and rule my life".  Truly life as it was intended begins there.

2) I can only be grateful to God alone for how he has taken me through life so far despite my human frailty.  The entire day yesterday, this old song kept ringing in my head:

How can I say thanks
For the things You have done for me;
Things so undeserved
That you gave to prove your love for me;
The voices of a million angels could not express
My gratitude
All that I am and ever want to be
I owe it all to Thee

To God Be The Glory
For the things He has done
With His blood He has saved me
With His power He has raised me
To God Be The Glory
For the things He has done

With emphasis to that line, Things so undeserved, I am blown away by the fact that despite all the wickedness that lurks in man's heart, God still shows extreme kindness no matter how undeserving we are.  I look around at what non-material things God has immensely blessed  me with - a wonderful life partner, two beautiful and bubbly kids, friends, family, the fact that all my limbs are in place and working well, I can only say, "God!  What did I do to deserve this?".  If God were a merciless God who dealt with people according to the deceit and wickedness buried in their hearts, I should be blind, maimed and without speech by now.

Thank you God for being a God of mercy and love.

God is truly a great God!

-to be continued.