A Very Facebook Kinda Birthday
Birthdays and Facebook
True confession time. I have mixed feelings about wishing people happy birthday on Facebook. I mean, sometimes I have never met the “friend,” and I can’t think of anything to say beyond the traditional Happy Birthday greeting, with an occasional variation to Feliz Cumpleanos (but then I can’t get the computer to do that little mark over the n, which I think is called an “en-yay” but then autocorrect turns that into “Enya” which is not at all what I’m after ;-)!!!!
Anyway. It’s not that I don’t think about wishing you a happy birthday on Facebook. Some days I agonize over it; other times I just say, “No, they don’t want to read my contribution,” and many times I’m just too busy. Other times I want to write a personal note, hey- even a card – but then I never get around to it…
I just had a birthday. First, I want to say – for those of my Facebook friends who did not write on my wall – I completely understand (see above! 🙂 )!
Birthday Wishes and the Characters in our Stories
But, this year, as so often happens, these lovely postings from…
- the ones that wrote only the two words
- those who wished that I had a wonderful birthday and/or was celebrated well – I did and I was —
- and those who spoke briefly of how my life has impacted theirs…
reminded me. Reminded me of the great cloud of witnesses that lives this story with me….
- girls-turned-women I played tennis with when I was a pigtailed 11-year-old (now I’m a pig-tailed 53-year-old and haters can hate 😉
- a former student who gave me a heckuva time when they were in my 9th grade English class but have now grown up to live stories of grace (you know who you are:-),
- people I have never met but am acquainted with through the odd connection of social media…
- my “big sister” in my sorority who stood about 11 inches lower than me in stature but miles above me in wisdom and faith…
- and dear friends who have prayed with and for me in the dark days and have celebrated redemption with me in the foretaste of glory days….
I could go on and on…
These postings, cards, texts and toasts from dear friends and family…it is like watching a really good movie trailer…the Spirit parading before me the strange and wonderful characters God has written into my life. They are the Living-Stories-of-Grace God has gifted me.
The Community of Faith
The writer of Hebrews writes about the community of faith,
“Therefore since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off the sin which easily entangles us and run with endurance the race set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the Cross, despising the shame, and now sits at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1-2
The author has in Chapter 11, listed “heroes of faith,” whose stories, if you know some of them, do not exhibit perfect records of faithfulness (think Abraham and Sarah:-). What they do exhibit is God’s perfect faithfulness to them, despite their sometimes wildly erratic record. We run well in the company of others who know our only real hope for faithfulness comes from fixing our eyes together on the only perfectly faithful one – Jesus.
Scotty Smith and Steven Curtis Chapman, in their wonderful book, Restoring Broken Things, write about being “characters and carriers of the gospel.”
God is telling an authentic, non-spin story of selfish, broken people, who are in the process of being made new by Jesus. That’s why Jesus has the lead role in God’s Story. But He’s not the only character. He’s making us characters too. We are carriers of God’s Story – targets for hope who’ll serve as agents of hope, and candidates of mercy who’ll live as conduits of mercy. Jesus is bringing restoration to broken individuals as a means of bringing healing to other individuals, families, communities, and ultimately, to the whole universe.
Here’s the thing – the Christian life is not a solo journey. As I thumb through the catalog of characters who wished me well on my birthday, I remember. I remember the best of times and the worst of times. I remember agents of hope who conducted the mercy of God in my life. I remember God’s marvelous stories of redemption and the people he used in writing them.
What’s Your Story?
Who are the characters and carriers of the gospel in your life?
Why not write their names down or say them aloud and thank God for them.
Or share a little about them in the comments, then send them a link:-)!
Better yet, write them a note telling them a story of how they conducted mercy to you.
Header Photo Courtesy of Reina Cookies — best cookie ever, and my birthday cake of choice!