A Birthday for Everyone

The other day was my birthday.

Everytime one of the children has a birthday

I wish I could bring in some cake for them,

but with our busy schedule 

and the time and expense it is just not possible.

So I thought I would use my birthday as a special time to bring in some "birthday" things and to teach them about how old they are.

It is  a big deal for a 2-4 year old to be able to say how old they are.

We are learning our numbers 1-10 and so I placed those numbers around the room and asked them to stand by the number that was their age.

TWO- we are 2 years old.

FOUR- I am 4 years old.

THREE- We are 3 years old.

After establishing their age,

the students returned to their tables to color a cupcake 

(or as one of the girls calls it "a bupcake", 

which sometimes sounds like she says "butcake", which is so cute)

After coloring the cake,

they pasted little pieces of colored paper onto the cupcake.

(FYI- this works on a toddler's motor skills.  Heee, hee, hee, sneaky teacher.)

Then we asked them again how old they are

and gave then paper candles to paste on to reinforce 

their understanding of how old they are.

After that activity,

I said, "Who wants to play Birthday Party?".

The children all resounded with a "me, teacher, me!!!!!"

So, I got out the party hats and we played the blind man's bluff game.

This game was so new to them.

Some did not like to be blindfolded, but by the end of the game

were beginning to grasp the concept of the fun in it.

Giggles and laughter spilled from our room as we played and ran and laughed.

After our game, 

I gathered the children in the other room around a cake.

Together, we counted the candles : 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8.

Every opportunity was made to reinforce what we are learning

(and no, I did not turn 8, just used it for the children).

As you can see, all eyes were fixed on the cake.

Not a sound came from the kids as they watched anxiously.

Then we sang "Happy Birthday"...

...and blew out all the candles.

We made lots of noise and had a nice little "party".

They all enjoyed some cake outside 

and then played in the school yard.

It really was a fun birthday for both myself and the students 

(and no pity parties).

~~~

I just want to say how thankful I am for my helper.

That day I brought my camera in hopes of getting one picture of me 

and the students on my birthday to send to my mom.

My helper asked for the camera in the morning 

and used it all day to take these nice pictures.

She says,"you are always taking all the pictures and are never in them. 

You are an important part of this ministry and their lives".

I am greatly blessed to have these pictures 

and all of the great memories that go with them.

Not another "pity" party!

As my 36th birthday approaches,

 I can't help but thank the Lord for the life He has given me.

Is it what I expected?

No, not at all.

Like most of my friends, I had expected that God would bring a godly man into my life, that I would be married and have a handful of children.

Yes, there is a bit of emptiness that comes with being this age and not having a family to fill your life, or a husband to be your partner, comrade,
 and friend in the good and bad times.

To be honest,

 I usually have a little birthday "pity party" 

for myself.

This party is not thrown with balloons 

or crepe paper, 

more like tissue paper and tears.

 I do still long to have the full life

 that many of you have,

but at the same time I know that 

God's way is best.

So that little "party" just lasts a few moments and then the blessings of the Lord flood my mind

and I think on how great the Lord is to me.

While I still believe that the Lord has a husband out there for me somewhere,

I know that even though I don't have someone to share life's moments with;

I DO have the Lord with me 

every hour of every day.

And day by day, as I continue on in this life, I know He is always by my side cheering me on, drying those tears in my little "pity party" moments, and blessing me with every spiritual blessing because I am His and He is mine.

This week, I thank the Lord that even though 

I do not have my own children 

to train and care for,

He has filled that void by making me a 

"half-day mommy"

 to eleven little smiling faces.

Although the week brought many laughs, 
as well as,  many times where 

I was at the end of my rope on patience,

I thank God every day for allowing me 

to be here with these precious little ones.

After all, what we really need in life 

is to be "needed" 

and useful for the glorifying of our God.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Pictures above of the land around the farm where I live in Zambia
and the last picture is from my classroom at preschool.

My 34th Birthday

A week before my birthday
this great big envelope and a few other things came in the mail for me.

I was so excited!

My mom told me I could not open any more mail until my birthday

("Oh, mom, why did you have to say that?" Mom knows I love surprises).

It was so hard because I walked past them all the time.

The night before my birthday, I hung the bithday banner

(that is a tradition my mom started when I was growing up).

I was so tempted to open just one card the night before,

but then I remembered what I promised my mom.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Okay, I am going to be honest with you.  the week before my birthday, I kind of had one of my meltdowns about turning 34.  Maybe it was a little bit more like a pity party than a melt down.

GINA"S DEFINITIONS:
              "melt down" - involves anxiety, bouts of crying, pitifulness, helplessness,     
                                  the feeling of being over whelmed, ....
              "pity party" - booo hoo, I am still single, poor me, what is wrong with     
                                 me; may involve the overwhelming longing for a husband 
                                 and children and/or the overwhelming need for snacking 
                                 (always seems to help :)). 

(I'm sure you've never felt that way.)

As I wrestled with myself about turning another year older and being without those things I desired, I thought of this verse -

Jeremiah 29:11
" For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end."

When I was a teenager, I thought that when I was in my 30's I would be married to a godly man and be raising a brood of children.  After all, when my mother was my age she had a 10 year old and an 8 year old.  
Do you ever sometimes wonder, why the Lord has not given you the desires of your heart?  Sometimes I ask Him just that.  I even quote that verse back to Him.  I may say something like this - "Lord, in Psalm 37:4 You say, 'Delight thyself also in the Lord: and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart.'  Lord, I do my best to walk in Your power and to delight in You.  This is Your promise, Lord.  I know You keep your promises, so I will keep trusting, but Lord, I want You to know it is hard for me to trust You to keep this specific promise, because I have waited so long."


Now you know I am human and struggle with many of the things that you also struggle with.  Usually after I have a talk with the Lord and He encourages me with His Word, I am ready to move on.

Now, about my birthday - - -

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So many of you have asked me "What did you do on your birthday?"

I decided that I would not just tell you, but also show you.

Very early, on my birthday morning, I went out to my favorite place to spend some time with my favorite person- the Lord!







After my quiet time and a cup of coffee, I opened the long-awaited package.

As you can see, the envelope was full of birthday greetings from home.
WHAT A BLESSING!
It was like receiving my very own party!
Each card and letter was so very special.

They contained birthday greetings, but each was personalized with kind and encouraging words, Bible verses, poems, hand drawn pictures from some praying children, pictures & a card with foot prints from my cat (Buddy) that I left behind, letters with news from home, devotional papers, short stories, picture of friends and family,.....

I think it took about 2 hours to open all of those cards.  What a tremendous blessing!  It felt like each person was here with me to talk for a while on my birthday - THANK YOU!

As most of you ladies know, housework and daily routine does not stop for your birthday.

There was laundry to hang...

       ...dishes to do...

... and school to get ready for.

Do I look another year older???               How about now????

Then I drove down to the city of Durban to go to my Zulu class.

This is the university I attend - Howard College, a division of UKZN

(University of Kwa-Zulu Natal).

On the way home I picked up some groceries...

... then, had a special birthday dinner with my fellow missionaries - the Kilmers.

They took me to a delicious seafood restaurant - YUM!

After our dinner together,  I went home to finish making my birthday cake.

I made my favorite - chocolate with peanut butter icing.

As I iced each layer and put the cake together, 

I thought about the 34 years of my life that the Lord had given me.

My life was like these layers.

Since salvation I had built my life on God's Word.

Yes, there have been hard times (and there will continue to be).

Times when I felt like my life was falling apart

or like I cannot be delicious to God,

but yet He continued to love me 

and make me that "delicious" person He wanted me to be.

Psalm 34:8 "O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in Him."

I thank the Lord for all He has done in my life.

It was a blessing to reflect on all He has shown me 

and ways He has been with me during the trials of life.

Thank you also to all the family friends, 

and supporters -----

--- for making this birthday---

---a very memorable one!

You have truly ministered to me in WORD & DEED!!!