49 years old now, and everyone should have the privilege of being an interim preacher preaching on a Birthday Sunday. First service they sang Happy Birthday, second service they sang Happy Birthday (especially cool because the children brought balloons to me and led the singing), my life group sang Happy Birthday, and finally, the Elders sang Happy Birthday at the Elders’ meeting. During the worship service, I couldn’t help but think of how much I wanted the church to sing to other people as well. I mean, it was great, and in some ways, I consider it an answer to a prayer of mine that had nothing to do with my birthday, but still…my wish was for everyone in the church to feel as appreciated and loved as I did in that moment. The fact that I’m in that very public role is a skewing factor, because the fact is we’re all loved by God in just that way, and wouldn’t it be cool if we all greeted each other with a song and a balloon every day? A bit impractical, but you get what I mean.
I am blessed, but maybe the heart of God is growing inside, because I mostly think of those whose birthdays will passed unnoticed, or undervalued, or maliciously ignored. Much of the world struggles to survive the day, even on a birthday. And then there’s the whole notion of being “born again” and what that kind of birthday implies.
Pentecost is coming…
JEFF BERRYMAN 
I totally get where you’re coming from. It’s a weird balance of whether to recognize everyone or no one at all. I, for one, believe that everyone’s birthday should be special. Everyone deserves that. But in a church our size (or any size) how can you do that for everybody?
I hope you had a great day. I’m so sorry we didn’t get to spend time with you on Sunday. We had a good visit with my friend Kathy but it was bad timing in that it kept us from lifegroup on your birthday.
If you have time this week, let’s do coffee. My treat!
On the other side of the viewpoint, birthdays mean less than nothing to me; they are annoying. And not from the perspective of getting older (although I’m definitely getting older). They celebrate an event which was beyond my power to control; and they engender expectations of gifts for this and no other reason. I am not, nor ever have been, a “gift” person. (Naturally, I married one.) Material rewards do not entice me; physical gifts do not excite me. Time is the best gift of all. The best days are the ones where I can skip work and spend precious time with the family. How often does that happen on the anniversary of my birth? Not often enough.
Bruddaaaah……Gotta stop having them birthdays….. they only make oneself Older…. =)…
Nonetheless a very happy one to you whenever you choose to have em! Happy Birthday!!