Over Thinking Birthdays....

The answer is YES!  The birthday cake was so cute, and it was so good—for the Best Birthday EVER! 

The girls had a full, fun day with family and friends—just celebrating.  Yes, they are seventeen—those years have gone by quickly.  However, I do want them to continue to grow up, because that is what happens to our children if they are healthy and alive—they grow up!

Perhaps I would not be so sensitive to this, if I did not have a child in Heaven that will not celebrate her twelfth birthday, attend middle school, high school, a prom or graduation—from any educational institution—we will not walk her down the aisle on her wedding day.  So, parents, if you can hug your little ones right now, breathe in, enjoy the moment (for it is fleeting) and lean in to their growth—celebrate every milestone.  The alternative is that they either have health issues that prevent them from developing normally—or they have left this life as children—please do not take this for granted, value them as they are for this day!

I heard the “new week end guy” (forgive me, for I do not remember his name) on Fox News yesterday morning say something that struck me.  The three of them were having their own little “gun control” debate.  The new guy mentioned that when the Twin Towers on 9/11 were destroyed, killing 3,000, we did not demand that airplanes be outlawed or banned—for those were the weapons used in tragic event.  They all were commenting that the focus is on the weaponry instead of actually finding out the ‘reason’ that such heinous crimes are committed in the first place, basically don’t blame the weapon, investigate the motivation of the one (or ones) that take innocent lives.  Because I am simple minded, I think the short answer would be that our society has ceased to instill and uphold a value system that includes valuing human life.   

Human life is sacred, and yes, we weep and mourn when our loved ones die.  I am not talking about that –I’m talking about selectively valuing a few—this spills over to those that would brutally kill and then turn a gun on themselves (was that person ever valued?)  There are many aspects to consider about that sentence, but one keeps coming to my mind, I’ll explain why in a moment.  Consider for a moment the attitude society has cultivated since the Roe v Wade ruling concerning the value of human life. 

One of the things that ruling establishes is that we have a ‘right’ and in some cases a ‘responsibility’ to be selective about which human life we honor (from unborn babies, to the elderly—for that ruling has opened us up to think about the quality of life questions, as well) and allow to draw in breath. 

That is a dangerous road to travel, for whom do we trust to make those decisions?   Politicians and drug designers would say that it is the choice of the woman about what she does with her body.  However, her choice goes away if she abuses her little child after it is born.  It all connects, somehow—wait and see—or don’t wait—just get on your knees and pray for restoration of the value of human life. 

This issue is close to my heart because it is birthday season in the Bishop home.  The twins were born on the 6^th, Macy was born on the 13^th and Randy on the 20^th of January—a birthday celebration every week for three weeks.  These three weeks give me time to think and reflect about such things…and, the reason for this sentimental journey?   As I consider these past seventeen years, I have to remember that the girls were born on the 6^th, I am their mom, but I didn’t even know that they had entered this world until the 8^th!  They could have been aborted, but they were not…they could have gone to other parents, but they did not… 

We had been praying for the child/children to be placed in our care for at least 1-1/2 years before their birth…God certainly blessed us with them.  Four years after we welcomed them into our family, I find myself pregnant, just before I turned 39….abortion certainly was an option for me…never a consideration…

No, I felt honored that I had been given such a gift.  And, you know what?  The reaction from people as we moved from a ‘normal sized family’ to a large family…was not always pleasant, sometimes even scornful.  It is such a good thing that I really didn’t care what people considered OK, for it just doesn’t matter.   I knew that our family was blessed—truly blessed with life, and that is valuable!

I am probably over thinking this (that would not be out of the realm of possibilities) but last Friday afternoon, we buried my dear ninety year old grandma.   A woman who made you feel better about yourself just by having a conversation with her—no matter who you were to her—friend or family, stranger or not. 

I can remember Grandpa as he aged saying that the respect and concern for his well-being that he received from medical professionals lessened with each passing year—as if medical treatment was valued for those much younger, that is the impression he was left with during hospital stays and medical procedures.  There’s something wrong with this picture. 

There are those that would argue that after a certain point, elderly folks have nothing to offer our society and are a ‘drain on the resources’—of course I believe that stance will change as those who hold that view have more and more birthdays!

The insight and wisdom that can be gleaned from forming relationships with those that are elderly is invaluable.  Their perspective is priceless, but we seldom seek it out.   All life is valuable…we need to be living that out day to day.

I love it that A.W. Tozer once said, “If we are to have any satisfying and lasting understanding of life, it must be divinely given.  It begins with the confession that it is indeed the God who has revealed Himself to us who is the central pillar bearing up the universe.  Believing that, we then go on to acknowledge that we have discovered His great eternal purpose for men and women made in His own image. 

…Man as he was originally created is God’s beloved.  Man in that sense is the beloved of the universe.  God said, “I have made man in My image and man is to be above all other creatures.  Redeemed man is to be even above the angels in the heavens.  He is to enter into My presence pardoned and unashamed, to worship Me and to look on My face while the ages roll on!”  No wonder we believe that God is the only certain foundation!”

Please do not misunderstand my words here.  My hope is in the Lord…in the fact that my Lord went to the cross and bled and died and rose again to give me hope for the mis-guided decisions I have ever made, every lie I believed that caused me to sin…and that forgiveness, newness of life is available to all!  I love that about Our God…the only certain foundation for life, for valuing life, for living life…unashamed and forgiven—go live it to the full!