On a happier note, birthdays are an exciting time to express love for others. Early on in our marriage, I had heard an aunt share an idea that I gladly adopted for our family, and it gave us many joyful memories over the years. Early in the morning, I'd prepare a special breakfast for the person celebrating a birthday. It was usually Norwegian pancakes, or "roll ups" as we referred to them. They could be fixed with butter and brown sugar, fruit sauce with whipped cream, or whatever way the birthday person loved them. Often that would be accompanied with bacon, ham, fruit, smoothie, coffee, or whatever, depending on their age of course. What I didn't realize was that over the years Ed and I would greatly benefit from these breakfasts! It turned out that we'd get special breakfasts not only for our birthdays, but also our anniversaries, Mothers and Fathers Day! It was a way to make each person feel very special, and I don't mind anyone borrowing the idea!
Birthdays were a big deal at our house, as you can see by the loaves and fishes story I posted earlier about Ed's over the top birthday celebration. On his 40th birthday, it was a little tamed down, but I had 40 wooden crows put out by the mill he managed, as well as a surprise supper with many guests and fireworks later. I remember my 40th well, sitting by Ed's bedside while he agonized with the pain of kidney stones. When it was all said and done, I mentioned that he could have timed it a little better, as though he had a choice!
Every year when our kids were growing, I would try to determine what would be a suitable type of cake or theme for them. We made cakes shaped like a train, car, merry go round, doll, butterfly, soccer ball, guitar and the list could go on and on. It was fun. We had many different themes. One year, Jenna's birthday was a fashion show, complete with dresses, hats, make-up and jewelry. It was lots of fun to watch, while several Moms cheered and clapped.
That particular birthday, one of the girls who was invited had been especially mean to others in the school, and Jenna was quite afraid of her. As we had talked prior to her birthday, Jenna decided to invite her rather than exclude just one of the girls in her class. This girl was from a broken home, and likely was used to seeing alot of violence. At Jenna's party, this girl remarked to me that her birthday was a week later, but her Mom couldn't afford a party for her. My heart went out to her, so I made a special cake for her, complete with presents and a few others from her class, and we showed up on her door step on the appropriate day. It was so much fun to see her giggle and blow out her candles on the door step while we sang the birthday song to her. She did end up celebrating her birthday after all and we were all invited in to have fun.
Another time at our home, Ed and I dressed up as waiter and waitress in a fancy restaurant, had the table set with china and crystal, and special menus made. This was a dress up affair, so the young girls were all dolled up ahead of time. Ed was a master mind at making special treasure hunts. Once, after a half hour of searching everywhere imaginable including the chicken coop, the rock pile way out in the field, the base ball diamond, finally the girls found the treasure! It was a small empty box with a picture of Ed cuddling Jenna as a baby! Actually, they just had to look up to find a hanging bag laden with all kinds of treasures, mostly sweets!
Paint ball wars, games, floor hockey, and many other adventures were a part of Michael's birthdays. Breanna's birthdays during the summer provided her friends fun times at the lake, tubing and swimming. We often tried to celebrate before school was out for the summer holidays, otherwise many of her friends would be away on holidays. Slip and slides were always a great hit for everyone.
The last birthday Jenna spent at home before she left for England, we planned a special event. It was an East Indian feast, complete with music and food. Our family, along with East Indian friends dressed up in the traditional saris, moondos and lungis. When each of the guests arrived, it was fun for Jenna to put sandle wood paste on their forehead. It was even more fun to watch the bewildered expressions of each guest that we caught on video!
During the two years that I catered for seniors and planned activities for them, I had birthday celebrations on Fridays. The one hundred plus seniors lived in four buildings, so there was a birthday of the month which rotated between the buildings. Special entertainers would delight the seniors for the parties. Musical families were some of the favorites, choirs and instrumentals provided joy as well. It was a good chance for young budding musicians to practise being in front of others, prior to making their appearances at the local music festival.
Once, I was surprised to find out that the birthday party I organized was the first ever experienced by that person. That was the case with Suzanne. She had an unbelievably difficult life. Her description brought me to tears. As a young child, she was told by her Mother and Grandmother that they both hated her. Her Mother even brought men home who would sexually abuse her. She never remembers getting a present, either for Christmas or for her birthday. Her first child was born when she was just twelve. Her next baby was beaten and had thirteen broken bones by her boyfriend, and they both ended up in jail. Altogether, she had five babies taken away at birth. She ended up living on the street, and both arms had many scars where she'd tried to take her life. Finally there was hope in her life when a Christian lady picked her up off the street, showed her love, and brought her into her home. She became a believer, but she still had a long way to go in her life. Her desire was to go to Bible School in Vancouver, and have counselling to help her further heal the many emotional scars she carried. So on her 25th birthday I threw a surprise party, invited all the ladies at church, and gave her money for Bible School. We later drove her to Vancouver to start school. It is amazing what God can do, even in a life so broken and full of despair.
Following my transplant, I was called by a young woman who was desperate. She was afraid of being alone, afraid of what she might do. I offered to pick her and her children up, and brought them to my house. While her kids played, we talked. She had been suffering for a decade with depression, and it was worsening. She had been planning on taking her life that day, and it was her 30th birthday. The wheels started turning in my mind. I asked her if we could go for a drive with her kids, so off we went. After asking permission to take her kids into a store, we went in and they picked out some presents for their Mom, and I found a nice birthday cake for her. We went back home and celebrated her life, and I expressed how thankful I was that she had called me. Finally she said she felt OK to go home, and we kept in touch.
Birthdays are a reminder of the day each of us was brought into this world. It reminds us that we have a Creator who loves each of us and has a good purpose and plan for us. "Your hands have made me and fashioned me" Ps 119:73 and "For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when your pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me." Jeremiah 29:11-13 These are good promises from the Lord, and I look forward to as many birthdays as the Lord wills me to have.
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