I’m not real big on birthdays. When I was a kid, a birthday celebration was a song and a cake at dinner. That’s a nice birthday. My wife, on the other hand, thinks differently. Since we have been together, my wife has tried to celebrate every birthday. She thinks they’re "special"…. I don’t.
Last year my birthday fell on a Wednesday. Wednesday is youth nite at my church. I am the youth pastor. Wednesday is busy! In the middle of youth worship, I noticed some of our adults from the church slipping in for the youth contemporary worship service. I was so pleased. I had been trying to get adults to come for weeks so that they could see what was going on during Wednesdays. You could only imagine my surprise to find out that they had come to celebrate my birthday at the request of my wife.
So I ate cake and ice cream had punch and said "thank you" for the gesture. Then came the cards. Of course, I had to sit and open them all in front of everyone. That’s when I discovered a harsh reality.
Not one, not two, not three, nor four…. Yea five cards wished me a happy 40th birthday. I am humbled. For you see, I was turning 39. After the 3rd card I finally commented that I was only turning 39 to which one of my parishioners responded, "ah, come on pastor. We all know you’re older than 40!"
I guess the best roasts are the ones that don’t realize their roasting you. I suppose since I had my 40th when I was 39 that now when I am about to turn 40 no one will remember. And to make matters worse, the very next week (the one after my non-fortieth birthday surprise party) I got my first pair of bifocals. The next week… my first letter from A.A.R.P.
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