Cake for Breakfast

Is it faux pas to share a birthday wish? You know, that whole "make a wish" one right before you blow out the candles? Probably. But then, I've never been an advocate for proper etiquette...

Birthdays have never been a huge deal to me. Sure, we always had parties with our friends – sleepovers with treasure hunts were quite popular at our house – and Mom always made the most incredible homemade cakes and desserts. In fact, she has yet to give that up, it's just transitioned a bit to the grandkids now. I think it's her "birthday language of love", and she puts so much time and heart into those creations, from horses to tractors to Ninja Turtles to giraffes. I'm still working on convincing her to open a bakery.

Back on task... We celebrated and acknowledged those special days of birth growing up, but never had the massive invite-50-friends-to-McDonald's-playland-extravaganzas (you know the ones I'm talking about, children of the 80's). I think there's a fine line between celebrating someone and creating a sense of entitlement to lavish gifts and attention. I tend to lean towards avoiding gifts and attention like the plague, to an extreme, but that's another issue altogether.

However, there was this whole "I turned a year older" deal yesterday, and I must admit, it was so special to me because so many thoughtful people encouraged my heart and affirmed my life. {Also of note was the receipt of not one, but two, monkey cards signed by my favorite kiddoes, the best breakfast at Fuego, and time shared with friends over the most fabulous chocolate cake – which disappeared too quickly to get a good picture.}

But here's the thing – which I've been thinking about a lot lately, not just in regards to birthdays: I am so blessed to be surrounded by people who love me well. ("Loving well" is a fairly new phrase for me, but is often used in my circles here; I'm such a fan.) I don't just mean they love me and claim me as a friend; I mean they know me, speak truth to me, and meet me right where I'm at today. They are teaching me to not just love, but to love well. I'm working on receiving that, but my wish is that I would learn to love them well in return – not when it's convenient for me, not when it's easy, not when it makes sense... but when I don't really feel like it, feel out of place, and have to sacrifice my time and energy to do so.

Lord, help us love each other well.

And never be ashamed of eating chocolate cake for breakfast.