Another Birthday

 

So another birthday has rolled around for me for another year. You know what they say—it’s better to be over the hill than under it. Mama who turned 96 this year says, “It’s not bad getting old. It’s just getting all crippled up that hurts.”

Our family makes a big deal out of birthdays. When we were kids, if Mama didn’t have the money to get us something for our birthday, she said, “The whole month is your birthday month, and everything that happens during that month is for your birthday.” Then later in the month when she had the money, we might all go out to eat at Scotty’s or the Dairy Queen.

We always picked blackberries in June and July so one year she let us sell our blackberries we picked to Dairy Queen. Guess what I bought with my money? A blackberry milkshake.

Having a birthday in July meant that I never celebrated my birthday in school with my school friends, but I had plenty of friends in the neighborhood to celebrate with.

I always think first of my mother when I think of my birthday. I haven’t always been able to celebrate my birthday with my mother, but I celebrate in my heart and mind with her. Without her I would never have existed.

The Lord is keeping track of our birthdays and without Him there are no birthdays. Without the Lord, I wouldn’t even exist, but because of Him, I am able to celebrate my birthday and enjoy a life on this earth. He puts the breath of life into my body.

 “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits, who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all my diseases, who redeems yourlife from destruction, who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, who satisfies our mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” Psalm 103:1-5New King James Version.

You know the alternative to getting old, don’t you? Not getting old, but that means dying and going to heaven and that won’t be so bad after all.

Lavon Hightower Lewis