Up-to-date

Well, it has been a while, hasn’t it?

To be honest, I’ve been preoccupied with completing my analog journal, filling the pages to get to the end so I can start my new journal, which is one of a moleskine style and looks really awesome to use. Only three more pages to fill, and then bam! I’m in business.

It is strange to think that I would want to fill books with words about my life and no one (perhaps my children, at best) will ever read. Maybe that’s what blogs are about too, only random strangers get to read things and old posts get spammed by fake accounts.

Let me tell you about my birthday.

It fell on a Monday, so I celebrated with my family on Sunday evening, since we were all home then. It was the usual occasion: dinner of my choice (chicken enchiladas), cake (chocolate with chocolate frosting), and ice cream (double fudge chocolate flavor with chocolate chunks). After stuffing ourselves with goodness, my family gave me gifts. It’s pretty funny how everyone expects gifts on their birthdays; what made us deserve them, since we had no part in the birth process except showing up? But I digress. I received some wonderful presents from my family, and had good laughs with them.

All during the week leading up to my birthday my mind was stuck on an idea, and I followed through with it because it was such a fantastic thought, I wish that it was originally mine. I got the idea from my favorite author, J.R.R. Tolkien in the first part of The Lord of the Rings. Bilbo Baggins, an old an benevolent hobbit, turns 111 years old and throws a magnificent party. Almost everyone in The Shire, his homeland, is in attendance. At the entrance to the festivities, gifts were handed out for the guests. And later on, some of the more closer relations to Bilbo are invited back for more personal gifts in his home.

I took this idea and ran with it. On the Saturday before my birthday (and the day before my party), I went out and bought random gifts for my family. For each person I picked out something specific. Nothing very big, I’ll admit, but something that would mean something between us. I kept it hidden from my family, so that it would be a surprise to them. That night, before I went to bed, I spent several hours wrapping the gifts. I did not have any wrapping paper, so I used blank pieces of loose leaf paper torn out of one of my college notebooks. After creatively wrapping each gift (some I made little “boxes” out of the paper), I wrote a personal note to each of them, and I hid them away for later.

So after supper that Sunday night, I brought out my gifts for the family. They were truly surprised. There is something about giving a gift to someone that is truly special. I can hardly explain it. Perhaps it is, just maybe, moving towards what God did for us in Christ, does for us everyday with every good thing. But I love to give to people, it felt so awesome to do it on my birthday. It is truly better to give than receive.

For the readers who have read my page for the long-haul (and are probably saying, “It’s about time he’s posted again!”), or those who have just stumbled on it through mutual friends or interests, in what ways have you given to other people in these days, and what has been your experience with it? How did it feel, how was it received, who was it for? I covet your stories, because these days in which we live are a part of the Father’s creative tale of redemption.

For those who said “Too long; didn’t read,” thank you for agreeing to the terms and conditions. I will see you in a week to gather your kidneys.

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