Frequently, I am in Birthday-mode. There is always someone’s
birthday to prepare for or recover from. I love birthdays! I think
they are SOOO important!
At my church,
(check it out at http://www.bruu.org), we have a tradition during our Christmas
service where we don't necessarily celebrate the birth of a God, but we do
celebrate the birth of a child. We celebrate the birth of every child.
At the very end of the service, the babies born during that year and
their families go to the front of the church and, surrounded by candlelight, we
sing "Silent Night" to the precious little additions to our world and
to our family. Each child is a blessing and the birth of every child is
the birth of a new hope. You never know how that child will affect the
world, how they will change it just by existing. Not only is the birth of
a new possibility, but it is the opportunity for renewal of the parents and the
families around that child, a chance to change yourself so that you can more
positively influence this children and help that new hope grow.
This brings me to
my next point......with every year that passes; we are given the chance to
renew ourselves. We don't need the calendar to give us a New Year. Each
birthday is our own private New Year's celebration. You get to look back
on the year you've had and plan for the next. How many song writers and
authors have written about "the next 30 years" or "a 5 year plan"
or similar topics? You get a chance to make your own new years resolution
without the influence of everyone else making the same empty promises
influences by the media on January 1. (Unless of course you happen to
have made your arrival on January 1, and then, I hope you don't get gypped!)
You get to examine, "What difference have I made in this year of my
life?" "What difference will I make in this next year?"
"Am I going to make amends this year?" "Have I really had
enough and need to go in a more positive direction?" "Am I
pretty satisfied and am going to strive to share that with others?"
This is your time to renew.
The party isn't
bad either, eh? Along the same lines of celebrating a tiny child on
Christmas Eve, each year let those around you celebrate the person that you
are. Let them express to you the hope you give them. The difference
you make in their lives. You can be modest or shy or hate being the
center of attention, but your friends and family know those things about you, so
maybe a big party is not on your calendar, but at least let someone cook you a
little something and share some cake with you!
Last, one of my
big pet-peeves! People claiming they are not having anymore birthdays
because they refuse to get older. You've heard all of the different
versions of this and may have come up with them yourself. Stop it! Just
stop it! You learn something everyday, so by the end of 365 days, you've
learned quite a lot and grown quite a lot......acknowledge it! You don't
see doctors down-playing the years they spent in school to get where they are,
do you? Every year that passes gets you further on down the road.
Ask my son, he can't wait to be a grown up so he'll know everything!
You are the age that you are because you have figured it out for another
year! Acknowledge it, accept it, and celebrate it!
Ok, my birthday
soap box has been thoroughly stomped upon.
Now, for a
question.......What was your favorite Birthday ever and why?
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