Birthday Gifting

I have been thinking a lot about birthdays around here, as all my kids just had one.  Truth be told, most of my life I dreaded birthdays.  It all steams back to when I was little and got a very poor turn out to a birthday party as a child.  It was at a rollerskating rink back in the 80s (when I thought skating was THE COOLEST thing around), so if you didn't want to come to such a party then surly the only reason in my mind was because you didn't like me.  It was my first full face rejection, and for a little introverted kid, I did not get over it quickly.  However, my mom and friends would try each year to cheer me up and make it special, but those childhood stings were deep.

Fast forward to having kids of my own and BIRTHday has a whole new meaning to this momma!  What a special time to celebrate the lives I had been so blessed with, to hold dear, remembering God's provision in so many ways.

This year as I was challenged by our six year old to broaden my view even more.  For gifts she wanted to give water to others.  And it felt so right, and so much better than the notion of "what can I get out of the day", instead of "what can I give in celebration of being alive".  Shouldn't that be our posture in life in general?  What can I give?  What a perfect time to refocus on that, one's day of birth!

Now this may not look like trying to raise over a grand each time as Zoe did, but that was amazing. (For real that just blew my mind - my little girl's initiative and people's giving hearts).  It doesn't have to be complicated or something to stress over, as can often be the case for me.  My middle daughter on her birthday date with her aunt brought flowers to elderly neighbors, who appeared to really enjoy it!  It was simple and fit her well!  Perhaps the point is to get to thinking about others and allowing the spirit to lead in what that looks like fleshed out.  I think that this will be something that we will incorporate in our family from now on, changing the definition of birthdays for the better in all of our hearts!