Birthday Reflections

Another Reason to Celebrate

Written by Dr. Bill Bagents

Though it wasn’t one of the infamous round numbers, a recent birthday provided incentive for reflection.

It’s smart to find a measure of joy in your birthday. Others do, and it makes no sense to let them have all the fun.

Birthdays are fine times for pleasant surprises. I loved one card in particular. It had a message from The National Foundation for Lowered Expectations. It read, “Have An Adequate Birthday.” Irony, pragmatism, humor, and reality rolled into one simple card.

There are some things we all should do on our birthday. Take some time off. Buy a gift for somebody else. Buy yourself an odd little gift. Make a visit to a pleasant friend. Thank God for another year. Tell God that you know you won’t keep having these birthdays forever–and be sure you hear yourself telling Him that. Call and check on your parents—what a blessing to still have them around at my advancing age. Remember good times and good people. Think of heaven. Hold up the mirror of God’s word and ask, “What do I need to fix? How do I need to grow? What do I need to stop, start, or otherwise change?” Be glad that many people still treat us better than we deserve, and pray for those who don’t. Remember favorite birthdays from the past—relive the memories as vividly as possible. Watch a favorite movie again. Read some happy pages from a new book. Tell some wonderful people that you love them. In my case, be happy that birthdays come still and that they only come once a year.

Come to think of it, virtually all of those things would be good to do on any given day.

I know some good people who celebrate their half-birthdays. They mark the day that’s six months from their birthday and declare it their half-birthday. I have no problem with that, but it would never work for me. Logically, I’d need to get half-cards and half-gifts. I’d need a half-cake with half-candles.

I know other good people who celebrate their spiritual birthdays. They celebrate the anniversary of the date that they were born again by being baptized into Christ (Acts 2:38, Romans 6:4-7, Galatians 3:26-29). Now, there’s a birthday worthy of continual celebration. .