Daddy? Who’s going to celebrate your birthday with you?
Tomorrow is my birthday.
Birthdays are actually no big deal for me.
So when I booked a writing session today and tomorrow in Franklin, TN, I just hoped for a phone call from the wife and kids.
Dropping me off at Enterprise this morning she looked at me with a smile and said…”Just one night! Right daddy!”.
I concurred with a sloppy wet kiss (sorry easily offended Christians) and shut the door to walk to the other side and give 2 more sloppy wet kisses (sorry easily offended Christians) to my other two.
By time I had shut the door, walked around the back side of the car, and opened the other door, my emo kid’s eyes were full of tears.
“What’s wrong baby?” I asked.
“Daddy? Who’s going to celebrate your birthday with you?”
Tears are now freely flowing.
“Awe baby. I’m ok. Daddy doesn’t think his birthday is near as big a deal as yours is. I like to save all the celebrating for you, your sister, and your brother. We’ll celebrate my birthday on Monday. OK?”
“But Monday isn’t your Real birthday. Tomorrow you will be without us on your REAL birthday.”
By this point I knew I had lost the fight.
She didn’t give a crap about Monday.
She gives a crap about tomorrow.
And tomorrow she will not be able to saturate me with her love.
It’s so easy sometimes to forget, that even on days that the world tells you are selfishly all about you…
They never are.
A child’s simple understanding of truth is often far more centered than yours.
Los
RAIN IT DOWN
*gulp* duly noted…
"A child’s simple understanding of truth is often far more centered than yours."
Word.
"I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." Jesus, similar accounts in Matthew, Mark and Luke.
Sometimes we forget that its not really about the giving or the getting…its just about the being and the sharing together in a moment of time
My Dad never celebrated a birthday until he married my mother. I know pastors in Uganda who don’t even know the day on which they were born so, celebrating their birthday is a mute point. I have always struggled with people celebrating anything about me. So, I’ve struggled with the question of whether we have over-Americanized birthdays, or is there something wrong not knowing or not celebrating.
Where I have landed is that our births are extremely important to our Father. And our celebration of the fact that we were born is a testimony to the world that life is, in and of itself a gift, a gift worth celebrating.
Now as if this isn’t full obvious by now after the emotional response of your children, but allowing our kids to celebrate the fact that we were born validates that they are important too. By allowing them to celebrate that we were born in a way prepares them to celebrate their heavenly Father who eventually enables them to be Born Again.
Kids love to celebrate life. Yours is one well lived, my friend. May you creatively find a way to enable your kids to celebrate it tomorrow. When you do, they’ll never forget it.
Makes me think of my super sweet girl. She got sick on her brother's 13th birthday. Sitting in the doctor's office, missing her brother's football game on his actual birthday, she said (with 102.4 fever) "I feel so bad for Caleb that I'm sick on his birthday and missing his game." What a sweet, selfless little girl.
Sweet girl. Never met her but I love her. That her heart understands the importance of a birthday. That she loves you, that the day you were born matters to her and that she thinks you will be alone is a testament of the tender and loving heart she has. Lucky Los. no, wait…not lucky. Blessed.
She is simply beautiful.
Another sweet photo. Is that natural light?
In recovery one lives one day at a time, but there are certain milestones of sobriety (30 days, 90 days and subsequent anniversaries) that are celebrated. Many people (myself included) would prefer not to attend a meeting, stand in the front of the room, receive a coin and kind words, etc. but are told that the celebration is not for us – it is for the still sick, suffering or struggling person that might find a modicum of hope in the accomplishment of someone who was once a slave to substances finding freedom in sobriety. I have never considered the parallels between this and the example we set for our children as we celebrate (or fail to celebrate) life's milestones in other areas…
The simple innocence of a child's love is amazing isn't it! Thank you Jesus! Wouldn't it be wonderful if the "grown ups" in our lives had this mentality??
“A child’s simple understanding of truth is often far more centered than yours.”
Dude, quit it! I can’t be tearing up at work!
Love you, Babe.
This was awkward at first, then I read the name and it all started to click.
This is so precious. It reminds me of how much I love my daddy and still want to shower him with wet kisses
Ain’t nothing like it Los! Even when they are 34 & 30 and still loving you, it makes you realize that everything was worth it. You are a blessed man.
Great post, Los! By the way, I think it sucks that Crowder changed “sloppy wet kiss” to “unforseen kiss” in How He Loves. I don’t know Crowder’s reason behind it … but if the song was to be spoon-fed to soccer moms on Christian radio, I could see it being a phrase that could easily offend her.
I give my son sloppy wet kisses every day and I know my Father does the same to me every day.
Beautiful. Thank you.
"It’s so easy sometimes to forget, that even on days that the world tells you are selfishly all about you…
They never are."
Not for a real dad anyway. Sadly, I know too many guys who simply don't or won't see this truth.
That was really beautiful. Thanks for sharing.
That is a great reminder
sweet girl just wants to celebrate with daddy. i love that. your family is amazing. happy birthday carlos.
Happy Birthday! Muchas felicidades! ! Thanks for sharing this, as I'm one not to make a big deal about anyone's b-day, but my dh has one on Sunday, and I need to make it a big deal for our kids and for him!
she cares