Birthdays Really Matter

I’m heading back home today after several days of celebrating my son’s birthday with his entire family. How precious for me to be able to be there for all the festivities and moments of sheer awesomeness. And, what a joy for me to be able to hang with the older kids because our sleeping arrangements were in a beautiful 2-bedroom suite overlooking this incredible heaven-on-earth place. I like to think that God gave my kids a heart for including this mama and it sure brings me so much joy.

Our family is BIG on birthdays, and while it may sound child-like to make such a big deal about birthdays, it really shouldn’t, because birthdays mean we made it through another year, and we're still here for a reason. That should be a BIG DEAL to us!

I heard someone say “I’m not having any more birthdays. In fact, I don’t even know how old I am anymore.” And I quickly replied, “Goodness gracious, I'm thrilled to celebrate my birthday. It means I made it through another year." I heard Christine Caine's remarks about birthdays. She said, "The older we get, we downplay having another birthday. We don't want any 'big deals' or ANY attention given to us having another birthday. How silly it is to throw a gigantic, blow-out of a birthday for a one-year old. What has a one year old done to deserve that birthday? Those who have been here for half a century and more are the ones to be celebrated. For goodness sakes, every year that we're still here, we deserve fireworks, celebrations, recognition and tributes..... because we EARNED this birthday and every other birthday! We made it another year."

I remember anticipating my birthdays as a child. As children, we counted down, waited and planned for our birthdays. We wanted special themes: Princess, Super Heroes, Fishing & Hunting, Football, Basketball, etc. We treasured the people who made our birthdays special, the grandmother (me) who created a treasure hunt trail of rhyming notes that led to the grand finale – supremo birthday gift. We were stoked that our friends came bearing gifts and shared our yummy cake, and we loved making a wish and blowing out the candles with just one huge breath.

Let’s be clear – it’s not as much about the presents, as it is of the PRESENCE of those who love us and make us feel…..”I am special”. Here’s the real crux of the matter: No matter who you are or whether or not you had an ideal family life, you always were and always will be a treasure, and on your birthday, you get to rock that truth.

Birthdays say, “You’re special!” That’s what we do with the red “special plate” for the birthday guy or girl and we take turning sharing why they are special to us. Birthdays say, “Hey, you, you’re great! I’m so glad you’re in my life.” And that’s why birthdays are a big deal – because birthdays represent our God-given mission and destiny and every year that we’re here, we get to celebrate our journey.

And with each year.....we have the opportunity to celebrate -- not for just THE day, but EACH day that God gives us. Celebrating it with a merry heart, a glad heart, a thankful heart, a forgiving heart, a heart open to the abundance of God's love and bringing forth fruit, being vigorous and flourishing.

I have a dear friend who doesn't wait for someone to throw her a party. She throws a birthday bash for herself, and she invites us all to join her for her BIG DAY. I love that. She knows she is special to us, so, of course, we celebrate her.

So, today, whether you or 15, 50 or 95.....you are to be celebrated. You're still bearing fruit. You're still here....you're not done!

Child Like Faith -- I Wanna' Live Like That

Daddy says, “Jump! Trust me!” A leap of faith means the child has to put aside all inhibitions and fears. But, no problem. She has child-like faith. That faith that shows all-out, undaunted trust that her Daddy is going to catch her. And she jumps to her beloved Daddy. No fear – only trust! And sure enough, she lands, safely in her father’s arms.

Remember that kind of trust? We had that trust because of the secure relationship we had with our parents. We completely trusted in their words and promises. Did we ever think our father would miss us, and we would fall? Not hardly. We believed, and we had faith because we trusted in who He was to us.

I know there are those who didn't experience the love of a Godly father like this, but I know how we all can know this love. That’s the kind of faith we can, and should, have in our Heavenly Father. Having childlike faith isn’t perfect faith. There's room for doubt, but the doubt doesn’t win – hope, trust and belief prevails! What pleases Him the most is our heart of sincerity that says, “God, I know You have my best interests at heart. Please bolster my faith in You." He answers that kind of prayer. Bottom line, no matter how impossible our situations may seem, if we have that unwavering faith of a child, we believe He can accomplish anything.

And, there is something so precious about the thought of getting to be a child again, and knowing we have a Father who will take care of us. He can bear the burdens of life while we can just enjoy ourselves, like we did when we were children, without having to worry about the nitty gritty details. God will take care of all that. We don’t need to perform, we don’t need to be constantly striving for this or that; the burden is on God’s shoulders -- not ours. I wanna' live like THAT!