Yesterday was Janet’s birthday. You would think that since we have known each other since we were about 5 years old, birthdays would lose their luster and we would have given each other just about everything on the face of the earth. Both of our birthdays are in the first half of the year – mine in February and Janet’s, as I said, on April 2nd.
But that’s not the case. As I look back on the 104 birthdays we have celebrated together since we have been married (52 for each of us), and more as we were dating and during our engagement, we never seem to run out of things to do. Sometimes, we surprise one another, and it is a day filled with excitement and trying new places or new things! Maybe fishing in West Virginia for me, or a spa day for Janet… Maybe we are alone and sometimes there are big celebrations with the entire family, depending on when spring break is. However, we both commit to spending our birthdays together – never apart. We never get tired of spending time together – it’s our favorite thing to do. One thing is for certain. After this many years together, we have had large celebrations and some pretty thin years as well. Such is the way things go when you have your own business – things change from year to year.
This year, we decided to do something quiet for Janet’s special day. We took Eva to doggie daycare so we could spend the day driving around Indiana’s spring countryside. There is a state park about 1-1/2 hours from our home called McCormick’s Creek and it is one of the Indiana State Parks that has an inn with a restaurant. The Canyon Inn is built on a hillside and their dining room protrudes out into the forest where there are numerous bird feeders and literally hundreds of birds, of all different varieties, to watch during your meal. We love going there.
But let’s not get carried away. We aren’t hikers or campsite people. We don’t have a trailer or travel home that we park at different sites. We just love the scenery and watching the birds while we have lunch together. We had an awesome time. And then we headed home.
Janet thought that it was a perfect day. Then things got complicated… the weather changed and by 9:00 p.m. we were huddled in our workshop watching the weather reports as the rain and 100 mph winds started and a tornado, for the first time in many years, came through our neighborhood. By the grace of God, we were spared serious damage and everyone in our neighborhood escaped injury, even as the tornado passed by.
Less than a mile from our home, houses were destroyed, trees uprooted and siding was ripped off. I am pleased to report that all three of our kids and our grandchildren were all safe – and we all avoided property damage.
I can’t help but be reminded of the time several years ago when Janet and I were in Ft. Lauderdale and staying at one of our favorite hotels, the Harbor Beach Marriott. In the middle of the night, the room alarms went off and smoke filled the corridor. We had to use the stairs to go down twelve floors and later found out that the insulation on wires for the air conditioning units caught on fire and filled the hotel with smoke. So you can see that we have had our share of excitement some years and rather mundane celebrations in others.
We just take it as it comes and try to enjoy whatever God has in store for us – even if it means sitting through a tornado passing over our neighborhood. And it usually turns out that we have memorable celebrations together. I can’t help but think that after all these years, birthdays are a way to celebrate the passage of another year, to reflect on what has transpired and to dream about the future. We have that down pat…
Our verse for tonight is from the Apostle Paul in his letter to the church at Philippi! It’s a verse that we all have heard but maybe not embraced… Paul tells us, in Philippians 4:11-13, “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”
My encouragement this evening is to try and live in the moment, accepting whatever it is that God has in store. Moreover, it is just as important to enjoy the simple things – the things that still turn your head in wonder and amazement. Whether it’s a rare woodpecker eating snacks in the forest or sharing a piece of birthday cake with a loved one, daily life and the pleasures we all experience are as important as the largest events and celebrations. My prayer is that we will all recognize and appreciate the special moments that are a part of each day. Have a great day in the Lord, grace and peace… and once again, Happy Birthday, Janet!