Today is my birthday, and to start off the day I decided to reflect on some of the other birthdays I’ve had over the years. When I was a young girl, there were family parties, with cake, ice cream, cards, and presents. During my teenage years I had pajama parties, skating parties, and dinner parties with some of my friends. When I got married and had children of my own, it was back to family parties again. When our son was born, just 4 days after my 20th birthday, I realized I had received a most special birthday present. Since that time, Richard Jr. and I have celebrated many of our birthdays together.

Thinking back to a few of my birthdays, I am reminded of the birthday surprise I received a few years ago, that was secretly planned by my husband and I daughter–a limo ride to a fancy restaurant. On another occasion, some of the women from our church planned a surprise party in my honor. Then there have been numerous dinners out, bouquets of flowers, and phone calls from loved ones and close friends.

The special memories I have from all of the parties and surprises in the past are not about the good food we ate, or the cards and gifts I received. The memories that warm my heart are about the special times I’ve spent with family and friends. No gift can compare to the pleasure of being with the people I love, and no cake, ice cream, or other goodies, can equal the way my heart fills with love when I’m with those who mean so very much to me. Thank you, family and friends, for all the good times, and the many things you do to make my life complete. I love you all so very much!

Now it’s your turn. What special birthday memories would you like to share?

When my mother passed away recently, I found comfort in the condolences of others, through the flowers, cards, and notes they sent, as well as phone calls and personal contact. Just a hug or a simple, “I’m praying for you,” helped so much during the difficult time. In addition to the comfort I received from family and friends, I was reminded of the verse of scripture in Isaiah 66:13 that says, “As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you.” Through the encouragement of others, I have felt the Lord’s presence and comfort during the days following my mother’s death.

It also gave me comfort to know that my mom is no longer suffering and is at peace with the Lord. Because she was a Christian, I know I will see her again some day.

What are some ways others have encouraged you during the loss of a loved one? How have you offered your condolences to someone during their time of grief?

We recently had relatives from Pennsylvania come to visit, and one of the first things my sister-in-law said to me when they arrived was, “I’m looking forward to getting to know you better while we are here.” I was surprised by that at first, as we have made many trips to Pennsylvania to visit my husband’s family over the years. However, after thinking about it awhile, I realized that during those trips, most of our visits have been in a group setting, and we never got the chance to say more than a few words to each person present.

In order to really get to know someone, you need to spend quality time together, asking questions about them, and sharing things about yourself. I learned a lot about my husband’s brother and his wife during their visit that I would never have known if we hadn’t spent a week together, and now I feel like I’ve made some new friends.

While pondering all of this, I thought about the time I spend in the presence of God. In order to get to know Him better, I need to spend time in His Word, and really talk to Him through prayer. Just a brief prayer here and there, or a quick glance at a passage in the Bible isn’t enough to help me really know the Lord. Is there someone in your life you need to get to know better? Are you spending enough time with God?