Celebrate Good Times, Come On!

Ba-da-da-da Da-da da-dahm.
 

Sing it with me. 

"Oh beautiful for spacious skies, for amber waves of grain....."

or

"Happy half-birthday dear Nathan....."




I have a confession to make about our Fourth of July.  Our Independence Day.  Our Fireworks and Parades-kind of summer day. 

When my son was really young, I told him that all the hoopla and festivities were to celebrate his half birthday. 

I took advantage of the party celebrations and used it.  To my advantage.  To tell my son that we were all celebrating him. 

(nevermind that we have never celebrated half birthdays in our house.  but have you gotten sucked in to the "making my kids'-party-better-than-your-kids'-party"?  Let the mom who has ever paid the cost of hiring a clown cast the first stone.)
 

I didn't intentionally start this little white lie with my first-born.  I didn't intentionally perpetuate the lie for a few years in a row.  I merely took advantage of everyone having the day off of work and school. 

I made use of the sparkly, fire-y and glow-in-the-dark-y party favors to help us celebrate. 

I may have mentioned that the tri-county instrumental band, and the local lioness ice-cream social were all there to provide half-birthday-party entertainment and half-birthday cake. 

It started when my son was a pre-schooler.  Our evening was about to draw to a close.  Members of the local fire department topped off our night of celebration with a fireworks display. 

I looked over at Nathan, bright colors from the sky reflecting in his eyes, and I whispered in his ear, "Can you believe this is all for you?"

He never pulled his eyes away from the sky. He simply said, "This is fun." 

We played this half-birthday charade with Nathan for two years in a row.  On the 3rd year he came down with a bug.  He was unable to attend "his own" party.

We sat on our deck, him all bundled up in my lap.  We could sort of hear the music.  And if we leaned just right, we could sort of still see some lights in the sky. 

And I whispered in his ear, "Buddy, you did know that you aren't really missing your own party, right?"

Again, his eyes never left the sky, "Ya, mama, I know.  It was just fun to say it that way." 

My kid is a good dozen years removed from this story.  I'm happy to inform you that we worked through this potentially scarring situation I created without needing any type of therapy. 

To this day I still tease him about all the Fourth of July festivities being all for him.  It's just fun to say it that way. 

The story makes him feel special.  And that's good, because he is. 

So are you and I for that matter.  Did you know that?  Are you able to look around you in your daily life and see all of the things that God uses to celebrate you?  And not just on your birthday or half-birthday or a special holiday.  Every day.  God celebrates you.

Sing it with me:  Celebrate Good Times, Come on!.....