How we celebrate birthdays

So I realize it's been over a month since I've written anything in my blog. I got out of the groove when my computer started shutting down every fifteen minutes. It was rather annoying. I kept trying to blow dust out thinking it must just be overheating but that didn't seem to fix anything. So I just stopped using it much.  Then I remembered this place called Computer Magic in town and he fixed it for me for $100 but I was without my computer for a week. Something was loose in the back where my battery plugs in. Anyway, here I am with some catching up to do.

One of the big events in June was Omega's birthday (she turned 6). We've never done much for birthdays because we don't want our kids to have the expectation that they are entitled to praise and gifts. Here's why:

Under the Jewish economy on the birth of children an offering was made to God, by His own appointment. Now we see parents taking special pains to present gifts to their children upon their birthdays; they make this an occasion of honoring the child, as though honor were due to the human being. Satan has had his own way in these things; he has diverted the minds and the gifts to human beings; thus the thoughts of the children are turned to themselves, as if they were to be made the objects of special favor. . . .   
     On birthday occasions the children should be taught that they have reason for gratitude to God for His loving-kindness in preserving their lives for another year. Precious lessons might thus be given. For life, health, food, and clothing, no less than for the hope of eternal life, we are indebted to the Giver of all mercies; and it is due to God to recognize His gifts and to present our offerings of gratitude to our greatest benefactor. These birthday gifts are recognized of Heaven.   
    Teach them to review the past year of their life, to consider whether they would be glad to meet its record just as it stands in the books of heaven. Encourage in them serious thoughts, whether their deportment, their words, their works, are of a character pleasing to God. Have they been making their lives more like Jesus, beautiful and lovely in the sight of God? Teach them the knowledge of the Lord, His ways, His precepts.  {Adventist Home 473} 

 So, how did we make that paradigm shift practical?  Several days before her birthday when it was time to put her to bed, I laid next to her and asked her some questions. "Omega, do you know that on Wednesday you'll be 6? You're not going to be 5 anymore! Can you think of anything you've learned this year?" Then I asked her what she wanted to learn while she was 6, before she turned 7. The next day while we were driving back from Safeway I also asked her to think of all the people that she was thankful for, who helped her to be alive and make her year of being 6 so wonderful. It went something like this:
"Omega, how come you're not dead?"  I loved her shocked expression at such an odd question.
"Because!"
"Because why? If you didn't eat food would you die?
"Yes"
"Who gave you food to eat?"
"Jesus"
"Who paid for the food?"
"Daddy"
"So, are you thankful that Daddy works hard every day to pay for food so you can eat and be alive?"
"Yes."
"How come you're not naked?"
"Because"
"Because why? Who gave you clothes to wear?"
"Jesus"
"But who did Jesus use to give you clothes?"
"Grandma and Meema"
"Oh! So are you thankful that Grandma and Meema were thoughtful and generous enough to buy clothes for you to wear so you wouldn't be naked?"
"Yes."
"How come you love Jesus?"
"Because!"
"Who taught you to love Jesus?"
"The Bible"
"But who reads the Bible to you in family worship and teaches you in Sabbath school?"
"You and Daddy and Sukie and Janice."
"So are you thankful that we all love you enough to take the time to teach you about Jesus?"
"Yes."

The conversation may not have been that concise, but that was the general flow.

When I got home I recorded a lot of what she said in my journal as well as my own reflections for her. On her actual birthday, it was a day like most others, except that I made food she requested (pancakes for breakfast, lentils over rice for lunch (along with ice-cream and carob cake), and toast and fruit for supper. The kids got to help me decorate the top of the cake with lots of bright and tasty frozen fruit. When it was time for desert at lunchtime I read the previous quotes from Adventist Home, then shared from my journal how I had seen her grow as a 5 year old and how I hope to see her grow as a 6 year old. Then David prayed for her and we sang the same tune of Happy Birthday but the words were changed.

 "God is blessing you now,
God is blessing you now,
God is blessing you Omega,
God is blessing you now"

She blew out the candles (no wish making) and we all enjoyed the tasty treat. I also believe it would be nice to give them a spiritual gift. Something that will help them advance spiritually. This year Julian bought her a nature DVD since we watch an animal video as our Friday night tradition while we eat popcorn and smoothie.

Here is what I wrote in my journal:

How Omega has grown as a 5 year old

1. Physical
1. She has learned how to ride a bike (with training wheels) 
1. She is more independent 
1. She can get in and out of the bath by herself and even helps put a towel on Orion. 
2. She wipes herself most of the time now too.
1. She has more fine motor skills -  
1. She can spread butter on her own toast  
2. Draw stick-figure men and other pictures that you can actually recognize.
3. She can color in the lines very well 
4. She can write letters. Her first word was "MOM" (tear...)
2. Mental
1. She has learned a lot about chickens and bees and other animals and plants
2. She is developing common sense
3. She knows traffic laws! She knows what all the lines are for on the road (single dotted = both people can pass, dotted on your side = you can pass, straight on your side but dotted on their side = they can pass)
4. She knows the names of tools and farming equipment
5. She can carry on a long phone conversation with Neena (my mom), telling her all about everything that has been happening in her little world.
3. Moral 
1. She plays with Orion much more cooperatively and peacefully
2. She became more responsible by doing routine chores (make bed, throw diaper away, brush hair, get dressed, put pajamas away, take cover off and on mesquite trees, unload dishwasher, clear and wipe table, help vacuum, clean up room, fold and put away laundry)
3. She knows way more Bible stories (We have a great Sabbath School program called My Bible First and it goes chronologically through the Bible. I think last June we were talking about Gideon in the Old Testament and now we are on the life of Christ!   

It was a healthy time of reflection for me because I needed to evaluate if I am truly educating my children the best that I can. This quote gave me the idea for how to categorize my list.

 Education means much more than many suppose. True education embraces physical, mental, and moral training, in order that all the powers shall be fitted for the best development, to do service for God, and to work for the uplifting of humanity. To seek for self-recognition, for self-glorification, will leave the human agent destitute of the Spirit of God, destitute of that grace which will make him a useful, efficient worker for Christ. 95 {CSA 65.2} 

 I don't have any fears that if we don't lavish attention on our children on their birthdays that they will turn out with low self-esteem or feel undervalued. I have met too many people (myself included) who are so self-absorbed that they are crippled with discouragement and gloom when they are mistreated or even not treated as they expect (I cried myself to sleep one year because my roommate didn't tell me happy birthday! - to her credit she threw me a surprise party several days later on the weekend). I wholeheartedly believe that the happiest people are those who live to do others good. Being rich in good works is as natural as their breath because self is forgotten, merged in the life of Christ. I want that for my children and I will by the grace of God model that for them and use every occasion to help them understand that yearning for self-recognition and self-glorification will leave them destitute and useless.

I wanted to put in a video here but I can't seem to download windows movie maker.

The rest of the day Omega didn't feel well. Her eyes were itchy so I suggested we put cucumbers on them and lay down. She ended up falling asleep while Orion and I did other things.

The things she and I came up with together for her 6th year of her life are some of the following:

1. Mental
1. Learn to read - (she said, "So I can read the Bible for myself!")
2. Get a bee suit and do bees with daddy
3. Learn to tell time
4. Continue learning to sew
2. Physical
1. Stop wearing a diaper at night
2. Take care of her own spot in the garden
3. Become more coordinated when cooking with me, stirring carefully, kneeding bread skillfully, cutting things.
4. Learn to swim
3. Moral
1. Become more friendly and courteous to people she doesn't know well
2. Sing more at worship
3. Learn to answer the phone politely
4. Become more responsible and dependable in chores - do without being reminded or complaining.

If any family is reading this, please pray for Omega to grow as a godly young lady and for me as I strive to be an example to her and educate her to be a useful and efficient worker for Christ. Thanks