Faith and Family

A Life Worth Celebrating

written by Donna Whartenby

Life is worth celebrating! Whether celebrating new beginnings or days gone by. Birthday celebrations hold a special place in my heart. My family didn’t have much money, yet my parents made our birthday special. My mother started preparing us several days before with joyful anticipation. She asked what she could prepare as our birthday meal and queried about the cake we desired. Family and friends were invited to help honor a life worth celebrating no matter our age.

My mom was a great cook who prepared culinary delights! After devouring my birthday meal of homemade favorites such as meatloaf, lasagna, or turkey, my greatest anticipation was the birthday cake. Mom’s made-from-scratch cake was a mouthwatering, confectionary delight. Years later, after discovering boxed cakes were easier to make, with a few tweaks, it tasted as delicious as scratch. My favorite cake was nothing exotic, only plain vanilla cake. The creme de la crème was her homemade whipped cream icing! A fluffy, thick whipped cream layer was spread on the top and sides forming little peaks over this baker’s delight. Finishing touches of colored Jimmies or M&M’s were delicately placed on top. Mmmmm. This pièce de resistance was made to acknowledge a life worth celebrating!

My husband’s family had a different birthday tradition. As the family gathered at the homestead table, a cherry-red ceramic plate with the words: “It’s Your Special Day” glazed in white letters on the rim identified the place setting for the birthday honoree. As with my family, dinner conversations reflected on past celebrations, family gatherings, and gratitude for time spent together. For many years, four generations sat around their table commemorating yet another life worth celebrating!

For many families today, taking time out of hectic work, sports, and extracurricular schedules to plan a special birthday is a rare occasion. Scripture tells us to celebrate. Psalm 118:24 (ESV) explains, “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Christians celebrate Jesus’ birthday at Christmas. Ecclesiastes 11:8 encourages, “So, if a person lives many years, let him rejoice in them all”. Jeremiah 20:14 (ESV) tells us: “The day when my mother bore me, let it not be blessed!” Get the hint? Scripture instructs us to honor, remember, and celebrate life.

Also, society tends to focus more on the spectacular and how many gifts are received, instead of how special you are in someone’s life. Over the years, gifts received are forgotten and gone. What I remember is that gifts were wrapped with colorful trimmings and love, and purchased with hard-earned money or crafted with loving hands. I have learned the importance of tradition and remembering time spent with family and friends, the blessings of being loved, and cherishing the people who honored the life worth celebrating.

Our Heavenly Father loves His children, even more than our earthly parents do. Psalm 139:13-14 (ESV) tells us that God created us and knitted us together in our mother’s womb. God knows us intimately as “fearfully and wonderfully made”. Luke 12:7 (NKJV) advises, God knows the number of hairs on our head and we are valuable to Him. Being a child of God, He is by your side. Your life is worth celebrating as a life loved by our Creator, Jehovah God.

Jesus Christ died on the cross to save us from our sin. Believe in Him and He will change your life! If you have not done so, pray to ask God to come into your life. Ask Him to forgive your wrongdoings. Begin living the life God wants you to live, a life worth celebrating.