A Note To Self On My Birthday

"Have you realized that most of your unhappiness in life is due to the fact you are listening to yourself instead of talking to yourself? You have to take yourself in hand, you have to address yourself, preach to yourself, question yourself. You must say to your soul: 'Why art thou cast down'-what business have you to be disquieted? You must turn on yourself, upbraid yourself, condemn yourself, exhort yourself, and say to yourself: 'Hope thou in God'-instead of muttering in this depressed, unhappy way. And then you must go on to remind yourself of God, who God is, and what God is and what God has done, and what God has pledged Himself to do. Then having done that, end on this great note: defy yourself, and defy other people, and defy the devil and the whole world, and say with this man: 'I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance, who is also the health of my countenance and my God'."
D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

First of all, Happy birthday Patrick! Now get out of bed already! Quit lying there and go enjoy the day! And above all else, do what the Lord told you do when you were praying this morning-enjoy Him today! Wasn't it wonderful to hear the Lord say, "Enjoy your birthday Patrick but most all, enjoy Me today!" All your springs are in Him and everything you have is from Him. You are not hopeless like you sometimes think Patrick but you have more hope than you could ever ask for because He has placed His own Spirit, Himself, inside your very body! You have hope and you have joy today Patrick and so be encouraged. Most days you would just try to stumble along in that hope and joy but today, Patrick, be encouraged to not only walk in it but to run His hope and joy! Don't think about what other people think and don't listen to the dumb voices in your head that try to calm you down and distract you. Look to your Father who rejoices over you today with singing and dancing! Strip off whatever clothes you are wearing and clothe yourself in the ones He gives you today. Now seriously, Patrick, get out of bed and let your heart be filled with a song!