Last night I had the privilege of attending a birthday celebration for two distinguished, faithful men. The event had been on my calendar for weeks but I at the last minutes was feeling a little under the weather. The humidity attacked me mercilessly as I tried to complete some errands in my neighborhood. My clothes stuck to my body, perspiration circles appeared on my chest and stomach. How could I dare attend a birthday celebration when I felt so miserable.
Well, first I did all the grooming things that all the magazines near the grocery store checkouts suggest. I shaved, took a lukewarm shower, and put on clean, comfortable clothes.
I debated about whether to bring a camera and then picked up the camera bag and dashed out. At first the twilight air felt cool. Then, the humidity attacked me; I did not surrender.
Surprise parties often contain so many levels of surprise that It is difficult unraveling who is more surprised the host or the celebrated special guests.
Upon my arrival my eyes witnessed so much activity and energy that I felt like a boy of ten again at play during recess. Tables were being moved into place. Clear plastic cups with “Happy Birthday” napkins and green plastic flatware were being arranged on the tables. I could hear laughter and gentle, loving greetings. It was a room filled with hope.
There was something spontaneous in the movements, something regenerative in the words, something spiritual in this group of people. What a wonderful community was formed last night, a wonderful community of God.
In celebrating those two birthdays all birthdays were celebrated. In celebrating those two birthdays our belief in God was honored. In celebrating those two birthdays the sacrifices of others were remembered. Birthday parties are always about more than cake and presents. Birthday parties are about love, hope, faith.
It was a night of prayer, potato salad, chicken fajitas, sharing, reconnecting; it was a night of ice, soda, beans and rice, and pinatas. Glancing back it was a moment of love shared by a community of God.
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