Celebrate Life

    Since my birthday was earlier this week, I have been thinking. Birthdays are a perfect reminder to celebrate life. With all of its topsy turvey mix of joys and sorrows, life is worth celebrating.

      Rejoicing over others for their birthdays reminds me of the way God rejoices over us, honoring the person that they are and taking the time to show them what they mean to us. It is impossible to determine how long God has placed them in our lives, and taking every opportunity to demonstrate love and appreciation is important.

      Renewing often the assurance of a person's importance and value helps alleviate some of the feeling of neglect those who are lonely can experience.

    My own birthday is an annual reminder to be thankful to God and to my parents for the life they gave me, the second greatest gift I have ever received. Despite challenging circumstances, my teenage parents chose life for me. Though it wasn't easy, we all made it through. The lessons we learned from each other along the way--priceless.

     I am so thankful for the experience of running through cool grass in my bare feet, playing in the waves of the ocean, watching the full moon rise. Wind in my hair. Water skiing. Driving. Hanging by a rope (some people call it climbing). Knowing God. Laughing. Sunsets. Riding a horse. Friends. Getting married. Having kids.  Life is amazing!

     So, yes, I love birthdays. Not because of the gifts I may receive, but because of the gifts I have already been given.

   So if a person lives many years, let him rejoice in them all. ~Ecclesiastes 11:8

  Do you enjoy birthdays?