“It’s your birthday next week, I said to my daughter…
“Let’s have a party!”
“Great!”
“How about McDonald’s?”
My daughter, who is married and has children of her own, gave me that look.
You know the one…
It could be translated several ways, but its true meaning is something like, “Not a chance!”.
“But you loved your 5th birthday party at McDonald’s!”
Her “look” did not change.
How we celebrate changes over the years…
McDonald’s becomes a fancy restaurant and a night out.
An afternoon cake and ice cream party with a bunch of kids becomes a party with a bunch of adults that lasts late into the night.
What we celebrate changes, too…
My early parties were all about “me”.
I made it another year!
I’m an adult now!
I got the promotion!
I married the spouse of my dreams!
Later the focus is no longer “Me, Me, Me”.
A few years ago my wife’s parents celebrated their 69th anniversary.
It was a quiet celebration.
My wife’s mother was in hospice care. Three days later, she died.
My father-in-law didn’t spend that day or the days afterward crying out to God in anguish or celebrating his own achievement in having such a long marriage.
He celebrated God and His goodness in bringing him together with the woman he called, “My best buddy”.
What is there to celebrate but God?
God and His power…
And His mercy…
And His grace…
Praise the Lord!
Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty heavens!
Praise him for his mighty deeds;
praise him according to his excellent greatness!Praise him with trumpet sound;
praise him with lute and harp!
Praise him with tambourine and dance;
praise him with strings and pipe!
Praise him with sounding cymbals;
praise him with loud clashing cymbals!
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord! Psalm 150: 1-6
Note: this post was originally published in January 2013
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