faith unfaded

I’m so excited for my birthday tomorrow!

I loved birthday parties growing up and my mom made sure each year had the perfect theme—Raggedy Ann, Pac-Man, Barbie.

As an adult, I became the party planner. First for my kids, then my grandkids. I was excited the year my stepson invited my entire family to his house for a BBQ on my birthday. Finally! Someone’s throwing ME a party. I walked into what I thought was a surprise party only to find it was simply a BBQ. No balloons. No cake. No one had even remembered it was my birthday!

It stung — but it also taught me a lasting lesson: don’t set yourself up for heartache by playing hidden games with people. I used to think, “If they really love me, they’ll remember.” That kind of secret testing never ends well. People aren’t mind readers, and our expectations can quietly grow into disappointments.

Some people don’t celebrate birthdays at all for personal or religious reasons, and that’s their choice. Others, like me, love them. I especially love Facebook on my birthday! I even use it as a metaphor for something joyful: “This is like FB on your birthday!”

The truth is, Scripture tells us that God delights over us—not just once a year, but every single day. “The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing” (Zephaniah 3:17, NIV).

That’s the best birthday reminder: whether people remember or forget, God always rejoices over you. You are seen. You are loved.

So celebrate if you want. Keep it simple if you don’t. But refrain from testing the people in your life with unspoken expectations. Instead, receive every day — and every birthday — as a gift from the One who never forgets.