I love to acknowledge co-workers birthdays. I got it from my mom, as she does the same at her job too. She always makes a big deal out of birthdays, even now that us kids are grown. I think there is enough sorrow and disappointment in life; enough meanness and pettiness. Be kind and graciously celebrate those around you. What does it hurt and it might just be like water-in-the-desert for someone going through a hard time. That’s my way of looking at it. So I buy balloons and make signs and do it for everyone I know. Especially since I am a cancer survivor. Each birthday is precious.
You won’t believe this (or maybe you will) but there are actually a few people that criticize and make fun of me for doing this. They said birthdays are only for children and only immature people or self-centered people with large egos need to be acknowledged and enjoy the attention. Well, nothing could be further from the truth! We all get criticized for just about anything we do. People at work, at church, in the neighborhood and in public all observe our actions. We each will make plenty of mistakes to earn criticism. But being criticized or mocked for doing something kind? That’s incredible to me and makes me shake my head.
I actually thought I would just stop celebrating people’s birthdays and let it go…not give anyone any reason to find fault. But I realized that stopping doing good things and kind things and Christian things because of criticism is letting them win. I decided I was not going to stop.
So, go ahead and make fun of me. Call me immature and silly. I assure you I am neither. I have faced terrible things and survived them and have found my strength in faith in Jesus Christ. Just to see the smile on people’s face is worth it. To have them come to me and thank me privately and tell me how much it meant to them is worth it.
I want to encourage you today, Peace Family, that you will encounter many people with an opinion about you and your actions. But after searching your heart, and if by all means you are doing kind, loving things, then don’t let the haters make you stop. Celebrate others and go out of your way to make others feel special and appreciated. You have no idea the road some people walk and it might be the first time in years they have been acknowledged.
You are loved, so spread that love and joy!
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