Birthdays are great. They are time with family and friends. A time for guiltless binging on desserts. A time filled with anxiety in keeping up with all the people making your Facebook feed explode.
Interesting fact. As of this writing, 30% less people commented on my Facebook wall this year than last year. I suppose that’s part of getting old, or moving, or that it’s a Sunday.
This was a day of songs. First was from my family.
My day started with getting the annual birthday song telephone call from Mom, this time immediately after I got out of the shower. After finishing my song, she asked if she could talk to Rylan, to which I replied ‘please let me put on pants first.’
Rylan was standing in the hall singing to me as well and bouncing with excitement to show me the Mickey Mouse Happy Birthday card he “colored” for me. This was followed up by receiving the present Elizabeth knows I can always find use for, an iTunes gift card.
Next, my Sunday school class sang to me before our lesson, shortly after I ate a Dunkin’ Donut because ‘it’s my birthday and I can.’
My last song came at dinner with some sweet friends from South Carolina who made time out of their vacation to spend time with us. I followed dinner with two scoops of ice cream wedged between two massive brownies, once again because ‘it’s my birthday and I can.’
Of all the sweet things I enjoyed today, there was none better than hearing the prayers of a child. Rylan gave thanks for daddy and mommy and Bailey (and even for himself). He also gave thanks for Mickey and Donald and the playground.
After I tucked him in and turned out the light, he turned to me and said, “Happy birthday, daddy.” This is the cutest kid who ever walked the Earth. Or Mars. Take that, three-eyed Martian toddlers.
As wonderful as this day was for me, an imperfect human father, I can only think what God must feel when His children turn from their sin and give their lives to him. We pray without ceasing for the day when our children might make the decision to follow Christ as their savior. Only then will I know that I’ll hear the sweet, sweet words from my children for eternity.
I love my little buddy and baby girl so much. I’d gladly accept any pain or suffering so they wouldn’t have to. It will be years, maybe decades before they know and understand that I’d easily give my life for theirs.
Maybe by the time they are old enough to realize those emotions, people will just ‘think’ their birthday wishes to you directly from their head to yours. Technology just better not try to substitute my brownies & ice cream.
The Pressing On 