Whenever I look back into my past, I always remember celebrating my birthday with anticipation and joy. I mention this because so often I hear people say that they dread turning a particular age, or they do not like birthday celebrations - period! But from the time that I was a child, my parents always made my birthday special for me. Unlike today, where so many kids celebrate with a party every year, that was not the case for me. My first party was when I turned 10 years old, and I will never forget it. I vividly remember how I dressed for the occasion. I wore a very full, blue, pleated, chiffon dress with a black velvet bodice to match the black velvet headband that kept my long flowing banana curls from falling into my face. With all the birthdays that have come and gone since that 10th birthday, I find myself fondly reminiscing over the many get togethers and parties that were in honor of me and how I have loved dressing up for them.
As I prepared to celebrate my birthday on February 10th, 2012, I knew that this birthday was extra special, after being diagnosed with cancer this past summer. I gained a new appreciation for what it meant to celebrate the life and love that God has bestowed upon me over these past 59 years, and I am so thankful that I am still living and very healthy! So this year I wanted to celebrate and honor those who have been a part of my life and blessed me with their love. I planned two parties to celebrate and honor those relationships. In planning these two parties I heard this saying come over the radio, “There is nothing more tragic as being alive and not enjoying that life that we should be celebrating.”
When I contemplate on this word celebrate, I am also reminded about the length of days that I have on this earth to celebrate this life that God has given me. As it says in James 4:14, “How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone.” None of us knows how much time we have on this earth, but one thing is for certain – our time is limited. How we are going to spend that time is a choice that each one of us makes. As I move forward in to this new birthday year, I want to make a conscious decision to live and love with an attitude of daily celebration. How do you choose to live out the days that God has ordained for you?
As I prepared to celebrate my birthday on February 10th, 2012, I knew that this birthday was extra special, after being diagnosed with cancer this past summer. I gained a new appreciation for what it meant to celebrate the life and love that God has bestowed upon me over these past 59 years, and I am so thankful that I am still living and very healthy! So this year I wanted to celebrate and honor those who have been a part of my life and blessed me with their love. I planned two parties to celebrate and honor those relationships. In planning these two parties I heard this saying come over the radio, “There is nothing more tragic as being alive and not enjoying that life that we should be celebrating.”
When I contemplate on this word celebrate, I am also reminded about the length of days that I have on this earth to celebrate this life that God has given me. As it says in James 4:14, “How do you know what your life will be like tomorrow? Your life is like the morning fog—it’s here a little while, then it’s gone.” None of us knows how much time we have on this earth, but one thing is for certain – our time is limited. How we are going to spend that time is a choice that each one of us makes. As I move forward in to this new birthday year, I want to make a conscious decision to live and love with an attitude of daily celebration. How do you choose to live out the days that God has ordained for you?
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