Today is my birthday!! This year I turned 56 years old. Birthdays are important to me. I can't imagine anyone not celebrating a birthday just because of something someone (Herod) did in the Bible that ended up with a great prophet of God (John the Baptist) losing his head! That is one of the things the Jehovah Witnesses don't participate in, the reason being the above mentioned. Does that mean that we should stop eating food, since Herod and his partiers were having a feast? I say nay!!
When I was growing up we hardly ever had a birthday party. We did get something new (I think), and believe me I'm not being unappreciative, but birthdays weren't really all that special. So, when I started my family of three girls, I decided to make their birthday times special. Birthdays only come once a year. When my children were growing up I gave them a day off for their birthday. They didn't even have to go to school. No, the teachers didn't appreciate that, but I wanted to do this for them as something special. And for the one (Grace) who was homeschooled her later years, she had the day off too. On this particular day they didn't have to do any work around the house, they just had the day off. We would probably do something like have a party or go out to eat, and they always got a special gift. They had the added benefit of other people in the family giving them something nice on their birthday.
For me, I usually do something special with my family, but it just depends on our circumstances at the time. Most of the time, I go out and buy something (clothing, purse, or something that I can have as a reminder of my birthday). Something I really need! My daughter Beth, Todd, and grandchildren gave me a nice gift that really suits me. It just so happens that my grandson Xander's (Alexander) birthday is a day before mine. April 1! I know go ahead and make an April Fool joke! There really is no reason for Christians to make a big deal over the first of April. I realized a few years ago that this was some more made up tripe that we have fallen for. Curtis and Grace came to our area and had a birthday party for Xander which ended up being on my birthday!! So I guess you could say I had a party too! At least that's how I'm looking at it!
So, this month for my birthday, I want to post Proverbs Chapter 2, which is something I read on the morning of April 2nd.
My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;
So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;
Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;
If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;
Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.
For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.
He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.
He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints.
Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path.
When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul;
Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:
To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh froward things;
Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness;
Who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the frowardness of the wicked;
Whose ways are crooked, and they froward in their paths:
To deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth with her words;
Which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God.
For her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead.
None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life.
That thou mayest walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous.
For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it.
But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it.
Amen
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