Meditation for August 23

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

 

Birthdays and Giving Thanks

 

"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

 

Yesterday was my birthday. I turned 49.  I hiked with two friends to Sky Pond, one of my very favorite places in Rocky Mountain National Park.  I have hiked to Sky Pond a number of times on my birthday - it's sort of known as my "birthday hike" in our household.  When I get to Sky Pond, if the weather is holding, I usually pull out my fishing pole, tie on a lure, and make a few casts.  Yesterday I caught three brook trout on my first three casts.  I've had luck at Sky Pond before, but this was way out of the ordinary!

 

I suppose our attitude about having another birthday changes some as we get older.  It is not quite the hullabaloo - there is not quite the same level of excitement! - that we had when we were children.  In fact, some folks have a sense of dread about another passing year, and being a year older.  I guess I have not taken on that attitude, perhaps because my 40's have been better than my 30's, and my 30's were better than my 20's.

 

About six years ago I attended my 25th high school reunion in Virginia Beach, Virginia.  It was the only time I've attended one of my high school reunions.  I went to the reunion activties, caught up with a few friends, met my former calculus teacher for lunch, and drove by my old house.  The other thing I did was go to Sunday mass at the church where my family attended when I lived in Virginia Beach - St. Aidan's Episcopal Church.  St. Aidan's was my family's introduction to the Episcopal Church.

 

Talk about feeling right at home.  The church still looked the same, they were singing the same mass music from 25 years before, and the rector I remembered, who had died, was listed as the "Rector Emeritus", and his picture - as I had remembered him - was hanging on the wall. 

 

At one point during the service, something happened that brought back a memory that had faded in my mind.  Those who were having birthdays that month came forward, a prayer was said, and then each person dropped some money into a small model of a church which had a slot in it for the money.  That is, those celebrating their birthdays gave a gift of money, in thanksgiving for their lives - in thanksgiving for living another year.  I had forgotten about this tradition, but I remember that it had been going on when my family was at St. Aidan's, many years before.  It's a neat tradition, I think.  We're used to receiving gifts on our birthday.  This tradition flips that around, as we do a simple act of giving that reflects our gratitude to God, for giving us the greatest gift of all - life!

 

As some dark clouds rolled over Taylor Peak, and we decided - being above treeline - to leave Sky Pond, I took my fishing pole apart, threw my backpack over my shoulder, and gave one last look at the lake, at the mountains, at the spires where we had seem some people coming down from a technical climb, at the clouds.  I said a little prayer of thanks to God, and then said out loud, "Until next time...  I'll be back."

 

Later that evening at dinner, Julia asked me about my goals and dreams for the next year.  I have a lot of them that I shared with her and the kids.  A little while later I thought of a longer-range goal.  I shared that one, too.  I would like to be able to scramble up the rocks next to Timberline Falls and get up to Lake of Glass and Sky Pond, and maybe even cast a lure into the water, when I am 80.  Who knows if that will happen?  But it's one goal that I have.

 

Life is challenging.  We all have more challenges with our health as we get older.  But it seems to me there is also much to be thankful for.  I hope I don't dread turning 50 or 60 or 70.  I hope I make it to 80.  And on that day, I hope to be on the trail to Sky Pond!  If I am slowly making my way up the trail that day, I will have plenty of time to think about the previous year, even the previous 80 years.  And when I do that - even though my joints may be hurting (and who knows what else!) - I know I am going to have plenty to be thankful for.

 

I'm glad that all of you were born.  And God has been rejoicing in you from the very day that you were conceived.  Here's to many more birthdays.  May God help us as we strive to give thanks in all circumstances - even for our most recent birthday!

 

Christ's peace,

 

Peter+

 

P.S.  One other thought:  If you don't want to, you shouldn't have to work on your birthday.  That's the way I see it!