Not Just Another Birthday

Petunias in Full Bloom at Mae Jo University

Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup;
You have made my lot secure.
The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
Surely I have a delightful inheritance.
Psalm 16:5-6

Today I celebrate my 55th birthday.

At Kosa Hotel, Khon Kaen

The Psalm 16 passage quoted above has been very special for me. It is like an anchor that has kept me from drifting off to dangerous seas when circumstances around me seemed overwhelming. And without fail, God speaks those words to me as a timely reminder that He holds me in the hollow of His hand.

The past week, Ernie and I have been with the President of the university on his alumni tour of the northeastern part of Thailand. We left Chiang Mai at 8 a.m. on Holy Thursday last week and reached Khon Kaen nine hours later. Khon Kaen is the northeastern capital, the fourth largest city of Thailand.

On Good Friday we were at the Ubolratana Dam, and on Holy Saturday, we were in Khon Kaen University at the Maejo University alumni homecoming. We have been on the road, in and out of hotels, and back on the road again.

Photo taken at Ubolratana Dam, Khon Kaen

On Easter Sunday morning, Ernie and I celebrated the resurrection of Jesus by singing one of our favorite hymns, He Lives! We thanked God for the significance of Easter. We both feel that we are embarking upon a new spiritual journey and that God has given us the word "wings" for this particular season of our lives.

How meaningful indeed is the symbolism of wings for me! I've learned many lessons from the various "wings" passages in the Bible. One passage that never fails to touch my heart is this one from Exodus 19:4-5

"You have seen what I did to the Egyptians,

and how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to Myself."

When I think of how carefully one has to ride on the wings of an eagle, I am awed that my heavenly Father would use such a symbolism to describe the gentle way he deals with us as he draws us closer to His heart!

At Bueng Phalanchai, Roi Et

At about noon of Easter Sunday we reached Roi-Et, another northeastern province. Just as we were getting off the van, Ernie received the news from our eldest son that he and his girlfriend had decided to get married in a civil ceremony on Thursday, the 27th.

This is certainly not how I expected things to happen, and if I had been the scriptwriter of my son’s life, I would have written a different story....

On Tuesday, the 25th, Ernie and I boarded our Thai Airways flight back to Chiang Mai. "Smooth as silk," that is what this airline is famous for. And sure enough, the plane took off so smoothly. I felt like I was -- well, you guessed it -- on eagles' wings. Surely my Father knew that I needed to be reminded.

Indeed because of Good Friday and Easter Sunday, redemptive choices are possible, and we need not be locked into a disappointing experience or an immature choice. God can reach deep into dark places of our lives and begin to re-create, renew, and restore.

I had gone to sleep last night asking God to speak to me in a special way on my birthday.

After the turmoil and the mixed emotions that have arisen in my heart the past four days, today I woke up feeling a deep sense of peace.

Ernie prayed a birthday prayer for me, and together we prayed for our son on this his wedding day. We are far from him, and God knows how much we want to be there for him, to lend him our strong support at a time when he must be needing it so much.

Then I received a birthday greeting from the Philippines, an SMS from my dear friend Ruby. Her message contained the very words I needed to hear, a confirmation of the work that God is doing in my heart in this new year of my life:

“Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup;

You have made me secure.” Psalm 16:5

May the Lord bless every detail of your life. Happy Birthday!

And once again, the clouds have parted for me, and I have seen God's ray of hope shining through. Today is not just another birthday for me, it is a very special birthday for God has spoken a clear message to my heart: He has made my lot secure, the boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places, surely I have a delightful inheritance!

Here is the wedding day blessing that my husband and I have prepared for our son:

A Father’s Blessing for My Son and His Wife on their Wedding Day

For my son:

Today as you get married, I want to bless you, my first-born son.

You have a special place in our family because you are the first born. Even though your mother and I are not around to be with you on this special day, I want you to know that we are there for you. We approve of this marriage, and we release our blessings upon this union.

As your father, I release you to full manhood, and declare that you are fully capable of making wise and godly decisions. Your name means that you have it in you to be god-like, and I bless you with the willingness to work with integrity and with wisdom.

You are responsible, and trustworthy, and able to finish what you begin.

May you follow the examples of your parents and grandparents, having a heart loyal and dedicated to your wife and future children. May you love your wife with your own life, understand her and care for her needs.

I bless you with open doors of opportunity to prosper, and to be generous to those in need.

I bless you with a heart that will keep growing, becoming mature, bearing good fruit in all the seasons of your life.

I release you into your destiny, and may nothing hinder what God has planned and designed for you.

For my daughter in law:

I release my blessings upon you as my son’s wife, and my daughter-in-law. You are God’s special gift to my son and our family.

My wife and I accept you and welcome you to our family. May you be secure in the thought that we love you.

I bless you with a heart that will be a haven of rest for your husband. I bless you with a heart that will be a gentle helpmeet for him, understanding him and encouraging him, and giving motherly love and care to your future children.

For my son and his wife:

A marriage is a covenant between a man and a woman, and I release blessings upon this marriage, declaring that it will last a lifetime and bring forth children who will become a blessing.

May God reach into your marriage, and bless every area of your life and home together. May your family tree be well-watered, and nourished to bear the fruit of godly generations to come.