42 LESSONS IN 42 YEARS

Happy birthday to me!
I consider it a gift that you visited my blog today.
Thank you so much!

I’m not sure if being 42 makes me an official “old timer,” but I feel like writing down a list of lessons I’ve learned in my life up to this point. This list is not exhaustive, but it may be exhausting to read.

Without further ado, here is my list of 42 lessons I’ve learned in 42 years:

1. Trust God enough to tell the truth. 
2. Write down something you are thankful for every day. 
3. Godly love is thinking the best and doing the best for someone, even if it requires a sacrifice. 
4. The opposite of love is selfishness.  
5. Don’t be afraid to try something new. 
6. Watch until the end of the movie credits. 
7. Going to a Christian counselor for help is one of the best things you can do. (As long as you are willing to be honest.) 
8. Don’t be proud. God really hates arrogance. (So does your wife.) 
9. Face your fears. Usually you find out they aren’t as bad as you thought they were. 
10. Do everything you can to make your wife feel safe. 
11. Read good books. (But don't feel like you have to finish the books you don’t like.)
12. You never lose anything you give away to help others. 
13. Admit your mistakes and ask for forgiveness. 
14. Be willing to forgive. Forgiving the people who hurt you doesn’t let them off the hook, it let’s you off the hook.  
15. Work is good for you. 
16. Laughter is good for you.
17. Choose quality friends because you will become like the people you hang around. 
18. Find someone you can encourage every day. 
19. You never lose sleep over doing the right thing. 
20. God tells us to be strong and courageous because He is with us, not because we are so great. 
21. Write letters and thank you notes to people. 
22. People who work in funeral homes are some of the funniest people you’ll ever meet. I think it’s how they cope with so much sadness. 
23. Learn from people who are where you want to be in life. 
24. Invest money for your retirement in a Roth IRA. 
25. Talent will open the door, but character will keep you in the room.
26. Always seek to grow and improve. 
27. Pray every day with your wife and daughter. 
28. Don’t just read the Bible, apply it to your life. 
29. Keep a journal. 
30. Difficult times reveal what you really believe in. 
31. People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. 
32. Consistent Christian character is the key to being a great husband. 
33. Don’t simply delegate tasks to people, delegate authority so they can grow as leaders. 
34. Memorize Bible verses. It’s amazing how God can bring them to your mind when you need them! 
35. Be a good manager of your money. 
36. Fear is the opposite of faith. 
37. No matter how much she drove you crazy, one day you will miss your mom. 
38. You will physically feel better eating gluten-free. 
39. Return what you borrow. 
40. Learn how to tell good stories. 
41. God is good all the time.
42. Make lists of what you learn.

Who knows… if I survive another year, I might have 43 lessons to share next year!