HAPPY HALF-BIRTHDAY

OK, I know you're asking...what is a half-birthday?!

Well, it's exactly that - the day of the year that is exactly 6 months after your birthday (or before your next birthday if you're one of those "glass half-full" types!) And today is my oldest son's "half-birthday!" Today he is halfway between 27 and 28 years old. I don't know how he achieved that milestone, because his mother is too young to have a child that age! HA!!

We started this little "tradition" in our family a long time ago - I'm not really sure how it evolved. I guess it just sorta came up - it became another chance to celebrate someone.

My son is a special person.

I have had the privilege of being his mom, and enjoy the honor of being his friend. He is everything a mother could hope for - someone to be proud of, someone to treasure. He has brought me more joy than I could ever express! He is funny, intelligent, creative, thoughtful, loyal, genuine - he's a real "people person." And he loves the Lord! What more could a mom ask for?

So, "Happy Half-Birthday, Blake!" I LOVE YOU DEARLY!

Birthdays are important days, aren't they? I think they're great. Some people don't like them because it reminds them that they are getting older. But I tend to think of my age as a "medal" - I am proud of reaching another year! And I like to be treated special on that day! I know, the world didn't drastically change on that day in 1954 - but my parents' world did! I venture to say that there was NO OTHER NEWS that compared to my arrival. I don't say this in an egotistical way - I just know what it feels like to have a child! Earth-moving!

You know, someone else celebrated the day I was born. God did!

He had planned my birthday.

"You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed." (Psalm 139:15-16)

What a glorious thought! The Creator of the very universe watched as I WAS BEING BORN! He did the same for EACH one of you! You are special to Him - He loves you beyond understanding, beyond comprehension.

How do I know this?

Because He sent His Son to die for us - just so He would never have to be separated from us again.

"For God loved [insert your name here] so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16)

There's only one thing we have to do to make this possible. We have to have another birthday.

WHAT?!?!

Yes, we have to be born again.

How to do this? It's simple - God paid the cost for our sin. He sent His Son to die for us on the cross. And then He raised Jesus from the dead, conquering sin and death once and for all. All we have to do is believe that He sent His Son to die for us, confess our sins to Him, ask for His forgiveness, and invite Him into our hearts as Lord of our lives.

I've done this - have you?

If you haven't, I would encourage you to do this today, this moment. God is right here, waiting to save you, to give you the gift of His eternal life.

"...if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness." (1 John 1:9)

So...on the occasion of my son's "half-birthday," let's all celebrate our other "birthday" - the day we were born again into the Kingdom of God, the day we became His children!!

P.S. My other son is pretty terrific, too!!

BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"