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This is a quiet corner of the internet — a space for stories, reflections, and reminders that you don’t have to be perfect to be deeply loved. At The Rusted Sparrow, we embrace grace over hustle, rest over performance, and beauty in the rust. Whether you're weary, wondering, or simply looking for a softer place to land, you're welcome here.

Rust and Rest: A Birthday Reflection

  • Writer: Brianne Thomas
    Brianne Thomas
  • Aug 13
  • 2 min read

I woke before dawn this morning, cradling a steaming mug of chai and listening to the quiet of my home. It’s my birthday—another turn around the sun—and though today isn’t a Friday the 13th, I was born on one. All my life I’ve heard the jokes: “Watch out for black cats!” “Don’t walk under ladders!” “Friday the 13th is bad luck!” But here I am, adding another year to the story without a single broken mirror in sight.

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Birthdays often arrive wrapped in expectation: heartfelt celebrations, fresh goals, grand declarations. But this year, I’m choosing to greet my day like I greet the little rusted sparrow on my windowsill—softly, with wonder, trusting that every layer of wear and every whispered superstition tells a deeper story of grace.


Celebrating the Rust

  • “Rusted” (English): worn, weathered, beautifully imperfect.

  • “Rusted” (Dutch): rest—a whispered invitation to pause and breathe.


Both meanings feel especially true today. Each year adds a bit more “rust”—moments I’ve fought through fatigue, seasons that have worn at my edges. And yet, in every season, God gently reminds me to rest in His faithful love, even when life’s little fears and jokes try to steal my peace.


Lessons from Another Year

On this birthday, with a playful nod to Friday the 13th lore, here are a few things I’m holding close:

  1. Gratitude for the small things. The sparrow’s song outside my window. A friend’s good-morning text. A moment of stillness with my chai.

  2. Grace in the cracks. My imperfections and off-key prayers haven’t driven me away; they’ve drawn me deeper into His embrace.

  3. Permission to pause. Rest isn’t a prize for perfection. It’s an invitation to dwell in God’s presence—no matter what date the calendar says.


A Word of Promise

“This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” — Psalm 118:24

Even if legends warn against a Friday the 13th birthday, I claim that promise today. I don’t need flawless plans or perfect celebrations—I need to remember I am His, and every year of life is crafted for His glory, not my performance.


Looking Forward in Rest

So here’s my simple prayer as I step into this new chapter:

“Teach me to number my days so that my heart may gain wisdom.” — Psalm 90:12

May I walk gently in this one small, sacred life, resting in the rhythms of grace. May my worn edges reflect His light. And may I celebrate not only my birth but the beauty of rust and rest woven through every season—superstitions and all.

— Brianne

 
 
 

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