Who’s Birthday is it?

Two weeks ago we had a birthday party. The best part about this party, was that it wasn’t really anyone’s birthday! Around a dozen middle schoolers signed up to participate in middle school mission’s week; our theme was “You are not forgotten”. We really had a good group of middle school kids that were ready to give their all and to show through their actions that God has not forgotten them or the people that were blessed to have the opportunity to minister to.
One of the days we headed out to an apartment complex with one goal in mind, and that was to throw an amazing Birthday Party…to celebrate each child and to love and laugh with them.
It is quite a funny thing to have a birthday party for no reason other than for fun! The stress really isn’t there, and the kids are having a great time trying to figure out what the “catch” is. I laughed so many times when a kid would come up and ask “So, who’s birthday is it?” and I would answer with “well, nobody’s really… but it can be yours if you want!”
Why don’t we celebrate more? God even told us that a merry heart is medicine for the soul. So many times we get caught up in the everyday routines that we forget to laugh. We forget that it really isn’t a big deal if a kid gets paint all over herself. If a kid wants to pretend that he is Spiderman all day, and not tell you his real name (this happened to us) that it is ok, not a big deal, we can just as easily sing happy birthday to Spiderman, a slice of cake before lunch every now and then doesn’t do any harm…
I was reminded to slow down. To enjoy life not speed though it doing, doing, doing… To let a kid paint my face (it will wash off later) to sit and listen, To have a birthday party without a “birthday”… to LIVE.