BIRTHDAYS ARE SPECIAL TIMES!

Birthdays are special times. And on Tuesday, it was special to celebrate 38 years that this world has been blessed with Amy. What a blessing she is to so many but especially to me. I've only been able to be around her daily for about 10 years, and I thank God every day for her existence.

Birthdays are special times, because when we are young, we look forward to each birthday with so much excitement because we just can't wait to get bigger and older. It's exciting for us to be another year older and have birthday parties to celebrate with our friends. As we get older, we of course don't look forward to our physical birthdays as much. I guess because we are getting older and our bodies are not quite like they used to be. We reach the point where we wish we could start going backwards.

Birthdays are special times, because when I recall my spiritual birthday in Christ it is a wonderful day. Our spiritual birthdays should be just as special to us as our physical birthdays. I was baptized by my dad on August 12, 1984 at the age of 12. It was a great day and I can remember driving to Columbia after church to eat with Grandmom and Grandad and I could not wait to arrive and share my good news. Some of us don't know the exact date of our spiritual birthday but we know approximately. The date isn't the issue, but to have Christ as our Savior for another year should be exciting. You see, we don't have to dread our age in Christ because with Him life only gets sweeter. That's not to say that we will sail through life without problems, but Christ gives us grace and love that helps us handle the years. What a thrill that as we age we know that the joy of being with Him in heaven gets closer and closer.

Birthdays are special times, because we get to look back on the years and see how we've grown. Abraham Lincoln once said, "And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years." Isn't that so true? As Christians, we've been given a whole new life in Christ and what are we doing with it? We've got to live our lives pleasing to the Lord because we've been born into His family. Ephesians 4:24 reminds us, "And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness."

Birthdays are special times and our birthdays in the Lord are something special as well. He loves us so much and it is a joy to be part of His family. Our lives should reflect that we are His children. We've got to make our lives count for Him. So, are you celebrating your birth in Christ?

Have a great day!
-Gregg