| Sunny Side Up! May 16, 2001 �2001, by Kathleen Gibson Happy Birthday to All! I wrote this greeting for someone who generously and immediately instructed me to pass it on to others�So, though I don�t know when you celebrate your birthday, this is for you� I hope you have sunny weather in your heart, and that God embraces you freshly with reassurance of how incredibly much He loves you. I hope that you have at least one present to unwrap and that someone reminds you that they're glad you're a part of their lives. I hope that you have no tears today, except tears of joy, and that you find one verse of scripture to keep you afloat for the next year. I hope that someone smiles at you for no reason other than that they're glad to see you enter the room, and that you can light up at least one person's day with a smile of your own. I hope you�re given a new song that fills you down to your toes, and that you can sing it with the joy of being alive today. I hope that you dream at least one dream, and that it gives your tomorrows direction. I hope that you�re mature enough to lay aside silly fears and fantasies of childhood, but that you never get too old to remember how to be like a child. I pray that you'll remember that the seeds you plant today can go on growing forever and that whatever you offer this old world with a pure heart, God will use and multiply. I pray that you'll remember that in His great Economy nothing is wasted - not a moment, not a day, not a year. I pray that you will make mistakes and learn from them, and I pray that you're patient when others don't. I hope you find at least one cat to stroke today, and that you get outside for a few moments to let nature remind you of your Creator. I hope that you find at least one thing to laugh hard about, and that you laugh loudly enough for someone to ask why. I hope you put away for just this one day the things that are weighing down your heart, because no one should have to worry on their birthday. And I hope you get to eat at least one thing that causes your taste buds to stand at attention with delight, so that getting one year older seems a good thing after all. Mostly, I hope you know that all these things are just a fraction of the hopes and prayers and dreams of someone who loves you very much. Happy Birthday all! You can respond to this column at [email protected] |