Why I Love My Birthday

I know you know it's not a secret. I know many of you are wondering what day is my actual birthday. I know many of you are thankful it happens to be February, the shortest month. Maybe even others are wishing for a very quick and abrupt end to the month and the month-long celebration. I understand and I don't hold it against you. However, today is the day. 

It's February 19th. Today is my birthday. It's my most favorite day of the entire year. Not that you are shocked by this fact. But it is here, the actual day. The day when 30-something years ago I entered this world. The day I look forward to ALL YEAR. The day I celebrate for a month out of the year. It's my birthday. I LOVE MY BIRTHDAY!!! (I know, not shocked by that either.)

It's also why I love February. It's why I love snow. It's why I don't mind winter. It's why I love the color purple; amethyst is my birthstone after all. It's why I wear purple all week long. It's why Valentine's Day pales in comparison to the "holiday" I'd much rather celebrate. It's my birthday.

There's something that's happened over the years. Unintentional, I promise, although I know that may be hard to believe. Somehow everyone knows. (Is that my fault for announcing the countdown starting January 1st?!) Everyone seems to know February is my birthday, whether they roll their eyes with disgust or whether they laugh along in fun. Everyone seems to understand how much I look forward to this day, even if they do talk about me having lost my mind. I don't fault you for that either. 

Along the way I've found other birthday enthusiasts, many of them my friends who share the same birthmonth AND the same month-long celebration. (Maybe it's something to do with the fact that we were shorted several days and we're somehow trying to make up for that?!)

Maybe you've already stopped reading this birthday nonsense. In case not, I'd like to provide some type of peace offering for all my birthday shenanigans. Well...maybe it will just be a simple explanation.

My birthday, February 19th, is the day when the God of the Universe, the Creator of ALL things, chose for me to enter this world. Even before my birth, He was knitting me together, planning all the days of my life - and all of it began for me on this day 35 years ago. Before you roll your eyes thinking I'm over spiritualizing, please don't. It's the God-honest truth. It's why I don't just love MY birthday; I think everyone's birthday is something truly to be celebrated. 

What I hope you'll understand is that it's not just another year to age, it's not just another milestone. It's not about age at all. It's about another day, another year, that God had planned even before any one of my days began. It's also what causes me to stop each year on my birthday and truly seek Him, the one who chose to give me life, in all of the things He planned and orchestrated, and ask Him, "Lord, what do you want from me? What can I do for You? How can my life this year bring you glory?" I can't even type that without tears flowing. The very thought that He chose me on this day and that He's given me every year in between stops me in my tracks, causing me to only be able to worship a Most Holy God. It's the most humbling and glorifying thought all wrapped into one giant blessing of a birthday gift. My birthday.

There are several dates that hold significant for me beyond my birthday, dates that God knew would happen long before I had even entered this world on this day decades ago. March 31, 1984, when I gave my heart to Jesus. May 9, 2008, when my Eli was born and I didn't even know it. May 31,2008, when he was placed in my arms. July 5, 2013, when my Prince would become my husband. More dates I have yet to even celebrate or commemorate. These are my dates, the dates that make up my life. The life that was planned by a Sovereign God who chose me and chose today, February 19th, for it to all begin.