Normal--With Side-Effects

I had an "ah-hah" moment today. Some of you when you read this will probably think something like, "and this guy is in college?"
I was talking with a friend today when I used the word "emphatically." Just then I started thinking about the word. 'emphaticaly...emphasis...OH! That's where it comes from.' Suddenly that word made so much more sense to me than it ever had.
I think it should be noted that I have used this word for a long time (and yes, I have been using it in proper context and everything). I knew what it meant, and I knew how to use it. I just had never thought about and made the connection between "emphatic" and "emphasis."
Now, I just know that some of you are thinking "there's one egg that took too long to boil." Whatever.

I have my finals next week. I am actually not too worried about all that at this point. All of the big projects are done. The rest is pretty straight forward and easily done. Every day of finals week I am done around or before 12:30. This is a big deal for the guy who has classes every day in both the morning and late afternoon (and once a week into the late evening). I am really excited for this week to come to a close. I don't really have any more assignments due this week (that aren't already done). There are only the choir concerts and class attendance to worry about for the next couple days.
With that in mind, I think I will go to sleep now. Laters.

Really Dumb Bird

The Meaning of it All

It's around this time of year that I tend to contemplate the concept of birthdays. What are they? Why do we celebrate them? Should they matter? Why should they matter? What should be different about them? What do we have right?

There have been some years when I've just given up on birthdays, and there have been years when I have worked hard at birthdays. Usually whatever I decide to do doesn't work. Some times I will decide to not care much about them, and I will become depressed because I can't help but care even though I don't allow myself to. Some times I work really hard at making big plans only to have them blow up in my face.

I can recall two purely good birthdays--one was mine, and one was a friend's. There have been others that ended well, but started really rough, and several that have crashed and burned.



So I've wondered, what's the point? Why do we do this?
For a long time I figured a birthday is a day when you take extra special notice of someone you care about, be it family, friend, or...family. That's why it never really made sense to me to go singing "Happy Birthday" to someone I didn't even know--though I most always went along with it for the sake of being polite. But I never cared for people who don't know me to start singing to me.

However, as I was considering this concept of birthdays this year I began to think about it a little bit differently. This is what I came up with:
Birthdays are times when we celebrate a life created by God, in the image of God, and (Lord willing) lived to the glory of God.
See when you look at it like that it's not just showing appreciation for those you care about--though that is definitely an important part of those birthdays. It is about worshiping God for the wonderful work He has done. Life itself is such an amazing thing. The fact that we were created in God's own image would be unbelievable if He didn't tell us that it was so. And the joy, peace and love that flows out of a life that is lived to the glory of God is so uplifting and encouraging. Praise the Lord that we sinful creatures may through His spirit live such lives. And Praise the Lord for those kind of people whom He has placed in our lives.
Birthdays have suddenly become much more exciting occasions.
Today is someone's birthday. Praise the Lord, and Happy Birthday!