Birthdays…

Birthdays…5-6-25

When we are little, birthdays are a big deal. I know my grandson looks forward to his birthday and counts down the days. He enjoys the small party we have with family and anything his parents do with his cousins on his mom's side as well. It was different when I was young. If we had a birthday cake, I would have cooked that cake. Occasionally, I would put on top the little candied Happy Birthday letters that came on cardboard with a wrapper. It was cheap, and sometimes we could afford that. Most of the time, we did not have anything. There were no birthday presents, and I never had a party. My husband and I are so much alike because neither cares about celebrations. For us, a birthday is a day that we can give praise that we have one more day with our family and friends, one more day to serve the Lord, and one more day to work.

Today, I celebrate my sister's first birthday in Heaven. That would be a celebration. That would be something to behold. I texted my niece this morning and she responded, "She's celebrating big time up there." I can only imagine. When we think of being reunited with loved ones in Heaven, Billy Graham says it best. "Heaven is the place of perfect happiness, and one of its greatest joys will be our reunion with those who have gone there before us. God loves us, and He won’t withhold that joy from us!" I truly believe this as well.

In 2 Samuel 12:23, David is mourning for his son. He says, "But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me." David understood that we can't bring people back. We shouldn't want to when they are with Jesus. But we will be reunited with those people. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 tells us that we will all be together. "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." When God comes back to gather us together, I will either be celebrating in Heaven or I will be alive on Earth. I don't know which. However, I do know that I will be reunited with all that has gone before me, and I am ready.