The goofy party hats with those stretchy little strings that don't *quite* fit. Those annoyingly loud blowy things that shoot out at people when they are least expecting it.
The colorful streamers that seem like a necessity, but I can never figure out where to hang them. The Yumm-o party food.
The confetti! Little bits of whatever-the-theme-is that make my husband go bonkers while cleaning up. The shiny packages and sweet little cards. The insanely unhealthy bakery birthday cake perfectly matched to the theme.
The ignorant bliss of enjoying said cake for the very first time.
The perfect little personalized invitation. All the sweet friends and family that take time out of their busy days to celebrate with you.
Every last detail. I am NOT kidding. I absolutely cannot help it.
I. Love. Birthdays.
There's just something about celebrating the day that God chose to breathe life into us. Life is such an incredible mystery and miracle, and every single day, let alone a whole year, is such a gift from our sweet Lord who made us in His image. And really, who doesn't secretly want to tell everyone they know that it's their birthday when it comes around each year?? Who doesn't love to hear those two little words--Happy Birthday!!! I mean, come on, we may not like getting one year older, but we sure do love having one day that we can just celebrate the fact that we actually exist here on this planet. Also, one day where we can get free dessert (along with the total strangers clapping and marching through a restaurant just to sing a Happy Birthday song).
I love planning birthday parties for my boys. It means so incredibly much to me that our loved ones take time out of their days/plans/family time to share in celebrating the life of my boys. Honestly, I couldn't care less about the presents (my kids might have a slightly different opinion, though). I just love celebrating them. And that's really what it's all about to me. Just celebrating the person that God is shaping them, all of us, to be. And knowing that we matter to those that love us, we matter to the One who loved us enough to give us life. Abundant life.
And when the party's over, the guests have all gone home, I have put everything away and Matt has swept the last of the confetti into the trash can, we can look at our little birthday boy, and we can say, "You are fearfully and wonderfully made, my son. Your Heavenly Father created you to be exactly who you are. He has searched you and He knows your heart. And He loves you more than you can ever know. You matter to Him." What an absolutely overwhelmingly awesome BLESSING and honor it is to be able to speak those words into our sons' lives.
I hope that we all can reflect on that one special day each year, and we can put all of our insecurities and failures and flaws aside and just revel in the person God made us to be. Every little idiosyncrasy. Every little wrinkle or gray hair. Every little beautiful thing that makes us all a unique and perfect masterpiece in His eyes. He loves us. HE LOVES US!! just the way we are. And we can know that God has given us the ultimate birthday gift, one that just keeps on giving...for a REALLY long time, like...forever. (I don't think a thank-you note even begins to cover it...)
So...my inspiration for my ramblings about birthdays just happens to be my very own brother, who is celebrating his Big Day today...at the beach...must be nice. Anyway, my big brother Derek is turning 30-something today, and I just want to celebrate him.
We got along great growing up (read: we fought like cats and dogs growing up). There was that one time that he locked me out of the house and I busted a window to get back in. And the times where I was his human football tee and personal ball girl. And all those times he so graciously called shotgun, so I could be much safer in the backseat. This pretty much sums up our whole relationship:
- He provides for his family.
- He sets a Godly example for his four sons.
- He leads an entire congregation in worship every Sunday.
- He is a faithful and loving husband.
- He shares his passions with his sons, and takes time to learn about theirs.
- He stands up for what he believes is right.
- He is a great entrepeneur.
- He is SO talented...He can sing, play multiple instruments, do amazing video work, good athlete, great cook, etc.
- He is a really good driver.
- He is humble.
P.S. You've gotta read this. One of my faves. Truly incomprehensible, His love for us.
1 O LORD, you have searched me
and you know me.
2 You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.
3 You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.
4 Before a word is on my tongue
you know it completely, O LORD.
5 You hem me in—behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.
7 Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?
8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths,[a] you are there.
9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
10 even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,”
12 even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.
13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
15 My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
16 your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
Psalm 139:1-16
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