Celebrations

It is a very expensive time of year for us. My wife's birthday was last Saturday. Mine is Friday. We're not sure when Jesus' is but we've decided to celebrate on the 25th anyway (and we're keeping the church open!). We don't do candles on the cakes anymore due to local open burning regulations, but birthdays are still fun.

I bought my wife a mink coat kit for her birthday. Well, that's what I call it: a roll of Velcro, a hundred hamsters and a hammer. She said it was an upgrade from her mother's day present which was a wonderful entertainment center (well... it was two birdhouses and a BB gun). I'm not that into getting presents for my birthday because I have so much stuff already and if I want more I am usually able to buy it. And if my wife and kids buy it for me they usually use my checkbook to do it so... take it easy, kids!

Reaching 49 is not that big a deal. All you have to do is keep eating and breathing. I think it is the mommas who gave birth to us who deserve the cake, prezzies, and day off.

Last Sunday I went to an open house for Doris Jackson, one of our dear sisters at Rochester. She was celebrating her 90th birthday. As I came in she stood up to greet Kami and me -- and that is humbling in and of itself -- and grabbed me, kissing me on the cheek saying "I prayed all my life that God wouldn't let me live to be ninety. Now I just pray for patience!" What a delightful person.

My family tends to live long but not well. That is some concern for me so I am taking preventative measures such as eating bad food and moving only when absolutely necessary. (I DID run a mile once. Worse three hours of my life...) I have enough money to live the rest of my life as long as I die next Sunday. All in all, I'm living like I'm just renting my body and my stuff. "I am a weary and a lonesome traveler..."

So happy birthday to Kami and Doris and me and Jesus, too. We made it another year. I'm told that Jews, when celebrating the Passover, say "Next year in Jerusalem!" I think I'm going to start saying, on my birthday, "Next year in heaven!" Now THAT would be a cool present.