At its heart blogging is a public expression of private thoughts.  Yes, it’s a handy venue for pontificating about any given topic.  But when you get down to the heart of the matter (hope Don Henley doesn't mind me pinching one of his lyrics), true blogging is one person, one viewpoint, consider it as you will.  It's something from the heart.  Anything else, anything less is much the less.

With this in mind, a moment to step aside from politics and the like for one of those public expressions of private thoughts.  It's a day early, but that's all right.  Some things are worth mentioning early.

To someone who's become a beloved, cherished friend to both myself and my wife, yet is much more.  To someone who made a seemingly impossible concert take place that unbeknownst to her started me back on the path to a living relationship with the living God that had been withering away for more than a decade.  To someone who inspired the book that has consumed me the past two and a half years, a book that is now basically complete.  To this someone to whom I owe so much…

Happy birthday, Beth.