Birthday Blessings

My birthday is March 5. I love everything about birthdays and celebrating mine! It doesn't bother me to reveal my age (56). Even though getting older is definitely not for sissies, I seldom feel as old as I am.

Through the years, I've enjoyed wonderful celebrations. Friends gave me a surprise party for my 16th birthday, which was one of the first boy/girl parties I attended. A friend cooked dinner and baked me a cake for my 30th, because Tommy was TDY with the Air Force so we couldn't celebrate the milestone together. Other friends gave me a surprise party on my 50th in a local Chinese restaurant--complete with a giant AARP sign posted behind my chair. Strangers came up to ask if I was the honoree and wished me happy birthday.

Growing up, Mom always fixed our favorite meal and made our favorite cake on our birthdays. I think the meal changed through the years, but strawberry shortcake was always the cake. My family now goes out to eat on birthdays. Years ago we went to Skippers on my birthday, because we had promised Matt we'd go there the next time we went out. I hate seafood, so I have no idea what I ate! But that is a great family memory, and hopefully he learned the importance of keeping promises.

There have been special gifts. Mom and dad gave me a birthstone ring with diamond chips in fifth grade. I still have it--although it only fits my pinky now. Tommy gave me a strand of pearls on my 21st birthday. As I get older, the gifts are not nearly as important as the greetings from friends. Cards and calls mean a lot. This year I enjoyed Facebook greetings from people across the US. What a treat!

It's always nice when the celebration extends over several days. My first card arrived from Missouri on March 1 and the last one came from Layton on March 9. In between I had lunch with a friend, dinner with two others, cake at the office, got calls from both kids, and made a trip to Texas to spend the day with family. That was really fun. I can't remember the last time I celebrated with them. No, I didn't have strawberry shortcake (mom was in the hospital; she's better now), but we did have a wild evening trying on shoes and went to see Alice in Wonderland in 3D.


Perhaps the best blessing is found in Isaiah 46: 4, “Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.”