Celebrating Birthdays

May is birthday month for me as well as as a special member of my family. My granddaughter Annabel turned ten years old on the first day of May. Mine was May 6th.

I vividly remember my tenth birthday. It was on a warm, bright  Sunday that year. Of course we attended Sunday School and church—my dad was the pastor after all. That just meant more attention for me anyway! Grandpa and Grandma Quiring drove to our home in Boring, Oregon for the day and presented me with my very own bible. It had a zipper and was a red-letter edition. King James version, with colored pictures. I would look at those pictures when I grew bored with the sermon in church. I loved that bible and used it until my 18th birthday when my parents gave me a new leather bound Berkley Version—a more modern translation. But I kept that special “first” bible and it’s still on my book shelf. A reminder of the Christian heritage I’ve been blessed with all of my life. 

My birthday this year is so different than last year’s birthday, though it was very enjoyable. Last year I had lunch with my sister and best friend where we had my favorite Thai food. For dessert we had thick chocolate smothered french vanilla ice cream bars studded with chunks of roasted almonds. It was wonderful having a day where I was treated as royalty.

This year was special in another way. Jim surprised me with an early birthday dinner at my daughter and son in law’s home on Sunday after church. My sis was there and my best friend, Connie and her husband Mac. We had crunchy filberts and olives with champagne to start the meal. Erika prepared creamy chicken/shrimp with gorgonzola cheese smothered with cream on a bed of fettuccine. There was fresh asparagus and a mixed green salad. Chocolate cake with chocolate frosting for dessert completed the meal. The day’s festivities were special in several ways. My new husband planned this special day, and I shared the day with my granddaughter, Annabel, who celebrated her tenth birthday five days earlier. 

Grammie and Annabel sharing our birthday cake

I really like celebrating birthdays. For myself and others in my life. I like the remembering part of birthdays and don’t really like that I’m growing older. But I remind myself that’s all part of  birthdays, as well as being grateful for the life God has given me. So instead of fussing over the fact that I’m one year older. I will be grateful for the one more year God has blessed me with. I will be grateful for my new husband who loves me and wants to celebrate the big day. And my friends and family who also want to celebrate. 

      Lord, thank You for the gift of life and  most of all, that You love me. I will celebrate my life and Your goodness in it.