First thing that happened this morning, I went to choir practice and was welcomed by the others by having them sing "Happy Birthday" to me, with the piano. Clearly they discussed this before I came in.
At church I was greeted at nearly every corner with someone wishing me a Happy Birthday and even got a few hugs and a gift. I ended up feeling very loved and grateful for the people in my life and it caused me to reflect on those people who have been a great part of my life.
That wasn't it. I got a gift from more church members after church and some ladies dropped by with flowers. I was being showered upon with gifts and I'm just not used to getting this much attention. I went back to reflection mode.
To top it all off, I got a grand finale for my birthday by being able to witness the lunar eclipse as it occurred. That was the best!
Reflection mode again. There are three people I've been thinking about a lot today and I feel so grateful to have had them in my life.
- My paternal grandpa and grandma for their shining examples. I don't remember much about my grandpa, but they always spoke to us about the time when they lost their ten-year-old son in a truck accident (malfunctioning brakes). They never let that experience harden them in any way and their forgiveness to the owners of that truck is amazing.
- A neighbor who passed away on my birthday who had such an influence on not only me, but others in my family. She was such a sweet tender lady and she always had words of encouragement for me at a time when I really needed them.
I can only conclude that my proclamation I made as a young child is still in effect today:
God is nice on my birthday
