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The Return of Captain Zoom

Do you know that chances are if you know someone, that person is born in September.  That’s right, more birthdays in September then any other month!  And since you know me, you know someone else with a September birthday!

When I was a little guy, I guess lower elementary school age, my big sister bought me a flexible record with a personalized birthday message from Captain Zoom.  It went something like this “Hey Jason, it’s your birthday…” etc.  I played that think every birthday until I think I left for college, or until I got rid of my record player (last year… no not really!)

When I was in high school, two teachers in the school shared my birthday.  During my freshman year, just a few weeks in to the school year, these two teacher came bursting into one of my classes, with a large cake in hand, singing and dancing.  And right then and there, we had a birthday party.  Little shy freshman Jason, was a little bit unsure of how to handle that situation.  This continued each of my 4 years of high school, some time during the day in one of my classes the door would burst open and well, party time!  I think this is one of those simple little events that help move me from little shy Jason to someone with some confidence – odd I know.

This may seem like a narcissistic post, or just a way to get some attention, but actually there is a point here.  These birthdays gone by have taught me several things about birthdays.  First, it showed me that I really really liked the attention on my birthday 🙂 – even though it goes against some of my basic principles.  But more than that,(and here is the real point of all of this mess) I think it has taught me that people, no matter who they are, like to be made to feel special and loved – no matter if it is their birthday or not.

So, today is my birthday, thankfully, my Facebook wall is going nuts, I have found the birthday song as an MP3, and I am taking the day off from the mill.  This morning, in a birthday text message exchange with my sister-n-law, after I told her I was trying to figure out how to spend the day, she replied “WWJD”.    Instantly, I replied “Go to the synagogues and teach, or retreat to the mountains and pray”.   And there you have it.  What would Jesus do on his birthday.  He would spend the day reaching out to others, or spend the day drawing closer to his heavenly father.

And that sort of my message today.  Birthdays are great, and with this day I am reminded how important it is to reach out to others, to lift others up, and to encourage people, if it’s there birthday or not.  And mostly I am reminded “to do unto others as I would have them do to me” (Luke 6:31)- birthday or not.

Eat some cake!

3Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.  Philippians 2:3-4 (New International Version)