It’s still my birthday month, so I’m still celebrating birthdays. But now I’m branching out to invite others in to celebrate too. The beautiful lady above is someone I went to church with for many years. Loretta lived a good life and was blessed with many years. She lacked only a few months making it to 100 when she got to go home to celebrate with the Lord. While we missed her down here, we know she was smiling up there. She loved the Lord and lived her faith each and every day. When she died before we could celebrate those 100 years with her, we celebrated anyway. At church we took up money to buy 100 Gideon Bibles in her memory because Loretta did love the Bible and read through hers every year. We ended up having a Sunday celebration with her family and raised enough money to buy many more than 100 Bibles. I know she was smiling down on all of us that day and happy to know that many would receive God’s Word because of our love for her.
And then this sweet picture of my twin boys getting ready to blow out some candles on their birthday cookie shows the younger brand of birthday excitement. Hardly anything is more fun than having a birthday when you’re turning six.
In the newsletter I sent out last Friday, I asked people to share special stories about their birthdays when they entered my newsletter giveaway. (If you didn’t get a newsletter and would like to, just say so in the comments, and I’ll send one out to you.) As always, some of you have kept me smiling with your stories. And smiles are meant to be shared. So here goes with some of the stories that made me smile.
First here’s Julie telling about how her mother made one of her birthdays extra fun.
“My best birthday was when I turned 40 years old. My mother lives in a different state from me. So she called me 40 different times to wish me happy birthday. I couldn’t call her cuz it didn’t count. hahaha.”
Susan also shares how her mother and one of her mother’s friends made a birthday special for her.
“One of my favorite birthday memories is when I just started high school – my birthday was the first day! My mom’s best friend was a teacher at the school and she looked up every class I had and had a special (small) gift waiting for me in each class. I’ve never been told ‘Happy Birthday’ so many times in my life! That afternoon, I had marching band practice after school and my mom surreptitiously conspired with a good friend of mine to have a HUGE cake brought in to share with everyone.
I especially cherish these memories today. My mom is in an Assisted Living Facility due in part to dementia. If I get a card on my birthday these days, it’s because my brother has filled it out and she scrawls “XOXO Mom” on it. Regardless of how time has changed things, I know that I am always loved!”
It is a gift to know we are loved. As many of you know, my mother also suffered with dementia in her last years. It was sad when she no longer remembered my birthdays and sometimes even who I was, but the same as Susan, I always knew she loved me.
And one more story from Kate about a birthday cake that was a bit of a mess-up but ended up causing smiles for years.
“My widowed mom and her group of lady friends always celebrated birthdays with a cake and small gifts. One year the store bought cake was unboxed at the table. There it was a carrot cake and written in icing was “nothing.” My mom had ordered a carrot cake with icing and nothing written on it. The ladies laughed about this at every birthday celebration for years!!!”
As always thanks for reading and I hope you have celebrated many birthdays, not only your own but those of loved ones too.
Do you like for people to remember and wish you Happy Birthday or would you rather spend the day quietly?
Comments 18
I enjoyed reading every word in this newsletter. Of course I enjoy all of your newsletters, but for some reason this one with the personal birthday stories was a special blessing for my day. I am going to bed and smiling, as I remember some of my birthdays. And as my mother always said, “Sleep tight and don’t let the bed bugs bite.” (I never knew there really were such things as bed bugs until I began teaching.)
I will close with my “night night” words to my girls and grandchildren. “I see the moon and the moon sees me. God bless the moon and God bless me.”
Jean Ann
Author
Glad you enjoyed the birthday stories, Jean Ann and that they brought back some good memories of birthdays past for you. My mother used to say that sleep tight line and so did I with my children. I was like you when I was a child and was clueless about bedbug. I had no idea bedbugs had been such a problem for people of my mother’s generation and now they are coming back to be a problem. My mother said people used to sit the feet of their beds in dishes of kerosene to keep out those bedbugs.
You night night words are sweet. Make me think of a bedtime picture book story.
Last year on my birthday, I flew out to Israel! It was quite the experience. One of our leaders arranged for a champagne breakfast during the flight.
I also enjoy having a meal with friends.
Author
That was quite a birthday, Caryl, and then having everybody on the flight celebrating with you. So fun for you. A meal with friends in the sky has to be one to remember, but a meal with friends is good any time.
I love getting Birthday wishes on my birthday! The celebration isn’t complete until I hear from my family members (especially my three little great-nephews). This year there was a mix-up and their dad (my nephew) called but after he sang no little boys chimed in. Boo! I didn’t say anything to him just kinda pouted a little! Then the next day their mom called and they sang! Yay, Birthday complete! Love them so much, they’re just too many states away!
Author
Glad you didn’t have to miss the highlight of your birthday calls, Linda. Sometimes our family is too far away, but then at the same time, we can be thankful for telephones and computers that enable us to still be part of our loved ones’ lives. Sounds as if those sweet great-nephews missed singing to you and were ready to correct that oversight. 🙂
I love spending my birthday with my sons. This year’s birthday, when they asked what I wanted, I told them, “all three of you together in one place, as long as I’m invited, too.” So, they took me out to an Italian restaurant and after dinner, I made sure to take pictures, because it just doesn’t happen often enough. Best birthday ever, even better than second grade when the class elections happened on my birthday and I was voted president. LOL
Author
That 2nd grade one was hard to top, Betty, but a mom always rejoices when all her kids are together and glad to be together too. Birthdays should be that way.
Yes, I like to have birthdays remembered. I feel it is truly special when God blesses me with another year. During this age of technology I find it disappointing to get a text Happy Birthday from my children. It’s fine from friends (I feel honored that they remember) but not from a child. Does that sound self centered???
Author
No, Karen. Not self-centered, but like me, of the generation prior to the tech generations where we like a voice in our ears or a face in front of our eyes and not just words spilled across a screen. But kids feel differently about that. Texts are what they like. Wonder if our parents or grandparents thought a phone call wasn’t as good as a letter or a visit? Things do change. But what hasn’t changed is the blessing of having that birthday and being given a new year to enjoy.
I failed to mention that two of these children are in their 50’s. Not teeny boppers. (Oh my, I am showing my age!) 😊
Author
:), Karen. I have some of those 50 year old kids too. They should make phone calls for sure. LOL.
I love birthdays! I will turn 59 years young on September 25th. In our family, we enjoy celebrating birthday month. 🙂
Author
I’m all for the birthday month celebrations, Melissa. Happy birthday month now and happy birthday day next week. Hope you have a great one.
It may sound prideful or selfish, I don’t know which word to use but I definitely like to be remembered on my birthday. My Mama would always bake me a cake and buy me a doll, no matter how old I was. We have/had a collection of dolls. It’s been a little over two years since she passed. As far as close relatives that I have left besides my kids, is my brother. He only remembers my birthday because Facebook reminds him. That’s the truth, he has a very bad memory. I just hope that my daughter will one day enjoy our doll collection. She’s a little tomboy with two older brothers who only wants to play with cars and Lego’s. 🙂
Author
Definitely not prideful or selfish either, Joy. Merely happy to have a birthday and being glad when others share the birthday fun. How sweet that you have all those great memories of good times with your mother, plus your doll collection too. As to your brother’s forgetfulness, a lot of guys share that. Facebook is wonderful in reminding us of birthdays of family and friends. So far I don’t have trouble remembering the family birthdays, but that doesn’t mean my head won’t get too crowded someday and then some of them might slip into a forgetful fog.
You little tomboy may someday appreciate your doll collection. Right now she probably just wants to keep up with her brothers.
It’s always nice to be remembered on my birthday! (#60 approaching in Feb!) But when the weather keeps everyone away, I know I’ll get plenty of phone calls, and I treat myself to extra reading or sewing time.
I love love love how your church celebrated Loretta’s birthday! What a great tradition!
I also have a couple of grandsons that prefer cookies over cakes too. My youngest grandson is one, who will be 6 in January.
At my granddaughter’s birthday celebration last month her mom made cupcakes. She didn’t decorate them, but had all sorts of toppings ready in little paint palet trays for each child to decorate their own. Lots of fun for all!
I felt like it was my birthday today when I pulled 2 books out of my mailbox! Thank you for these fun contests! I’ve been blessed with winning two giveaways recently! (I love Goodreads contests too) 😉
Have a blessed week, Ann …isn’t this great weather for September? I hope it last a good long time.
Author
That’s such a fun idea for a youngster’s birthday. Letting them decorate their own cupcakes. I don’t know how old they were, but I can imagine a decorated kitchen too. LOL.
Glad you got the books. Must be your lucky time. As for the weather, a little rain would be nice. Everything around here is very, very thirsty.