Since July is my birthday month, I thought I’d start today in celebrating with you, dear friends. I surely hope that you enjoy the following story and be encouraged by the Scripture contained in it. And a very happy birthday to you, whether your birthday is this month (or not)!
Paul wrote of our privilege and responsibility as Christians to see the beauty in all our friends, especially those with special needs, in 1 Corinthians 12:22-23 On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty.
As importantly as seeing the beauty of our God in our special friends, I am given the honor to listen and learn in conversation with them. Many times, the beauty in and of their speech and thoughts require me to focus closer and thus, learn more. Such friends are some of my best teachers in ways I didn’t even know I needed instruction until after receiving the lesson, in words or in deed.
For example, I share a birthday (or nearly so, with only a two-day difference) with one of my favorite special friends at church. She begins celebrating her birthday at least six weeks, if not three months, before “our” birthday. She delights in telling in great detail to everyone who will listen of her birthday party plans of people, food, activities, dressing up, and decorations. Her enthusiasm spreads to all in her path like dandelion seed. She makes others smile inside and out with her joy. Her joy is so attractive that I’ve started celebrating “our” birthday with her at the beginning of “our” birthday month. I’m not as good in garnering smiles as she is because I’m still inhibited in sharing the details of my birthday celebration.
But I’m working on enthusiasm and reveling in the details of celebrating my birthday, even in the sharing of this post with you. This year with its many challenges of surgeries, chemotherapy, cancer, and loss of some of those very dear to my heart seems appropriate for a bigger and better celebration.
So, yes! I am delighting with my special friend for each day of this year our Good God has given. His love, grace, mercy, kindness, patience, and hope are here in abundance today and every day. There are so many good gifts found in yesterday and today and tomorrow as we grow closer to Him and to each other.
And that abundance is in today, too. For as I write this, there’s only a few days left until “our” birthday. So, yes, please and thank you – bring on the friends, hugs, smiles, laughter, music, dancing, cake, candles, ice cream, cards, flowers, balloons, phone calls, texts, emails, and presents! (And I’m very sure that my friend would like that list very much too!)
Please stay tuned for a wonderful birthday gift that’s coming soon (hopefully). I just can’t wait to share it with you!
And I’d be honored if you’d invite a friend or four to join us here on the blog – please use the following link to sign up to receive posts straight to your email – thank YOU!
written by and copyrighted to Beth Madison, Ph.D., 2025.
Soul Scientist 
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