A Sweet Birthday

When I found out my birthday fell on a Sunday, I must confess my first thought was that this might be the perfect opportunity to spend some quality time by myself, something I don’t get too often. I thought of going for a golf lesson, getting my nails done, and getting my hair trimmed. The news of a hurricane storming through this weekend caused me to put a hold on any plans. So that morning found me waking up to a beautiful day and nothing to do.

Wonderful! I actually love it when the day is open to anything I set my heart upon doing. We kind of flowed from one thing to another, like freestyle choreography. We went to church, had lunch at home, went to play miniature golf, swam in the pool, and went for a bike ride.

Miniature golf was a real riot. We had to split up into two groups because of the rules that each group be a maximum of four persons. My husband took the two middle children. I took our oldest and youngest two daughters.

My three-year-old found her own way to “cheat” and we let her because (1) it was too cute and (2) doing so would keep us from going 10 over par and making the group behind us impatient. She would drive it from the start and then, once it landed on the green, pick it up, move it two inches from the hole, and put it in. Therefore I got beat even by my three-year-old.

The only thing I ask for is that I don’t have to make dinner or bake my own cake. So Kevin went out to pick up Chinese shrimp and chicken, and a Carvel cake.

My two older girls picked me some sweet baby carrots that we had planted in the spring, all tied up in pretty ribbon.



Finally, I got a little time to myself. I pondered the words of Psalm 139, which I revisit for every birthday.

Psalms Chapter 139 (NAB)

1

For the leader. A psalm of David. O LORD, you have probed me, you know me:

2

you know when I sit and stand; you understand my thoughts from afar.

3

My travels and my rest you mark; with all my ways you are familiar.

4

Even before a word is on my tongue, LORD, you know it all.

5

Behind and before you encircle me and rest your hand upon me.

6

Such knowledge is beyond me, far too lofty for me to reach.

7

Where can I hide from your spirit? From your presence, where can I flee?

8

If I ascend to the heavens, you are there; if I lie down in Sheol, you are there too.

9

If I fly with the wings of dawn and alight beyond the sea,

10

Even there your hand will guide me, your right hand hold me fast.

11

If I say, "Surely darkness shall hide me, and night shall be my light" --

12

Darkness is not dark for you, and night shines as the day. Darkness and light are but one.

13

You formed my inmost being; you knit me in my mother's womb.

14

I praise you, so wonderfully you made me; wonderful are your works! My very self you knew;

15

my bones were not hidden from you, When I was being made in secret, fashioned as in the depths of the earth.

16

Your eyes foresaw my actions; in your book all are written down; my days were shaped, before one came to be.

17

How precious to me are your designs, O God; how vast the sum of them!

18

Were I to count, they would outnumber the sands; to finish, I would need eternity.

19

If only you would destroy the wicked, O God, and the bloodthirsty would depart from me!

20

Deceitfully they invoke your name; your foes swear faithless oaths.

21

Do I not hate, LORD, those who hate you? Those who rise against you, do I not loathe?

22

With fierce hatred I hate them, enemies I count as my own.

23

Probe me, God, know my heart; try me, know my concerns.

24

See if my way is crooked, then lead me in the ancient paths.