Joy, Pain, Birthdays, and Death

Ben and Papa both had birthdays this week, so we went out as a family to celebrate. Italian pizza, Japanese steak. We had about 3 hours of family-Bible-birthday time.

I used to look forward to birthdays, and cake, and ice-cream, and presents. But now, birthdays are not “fun” anymore. They are joyous, but in a grave sort of way. I see my parents getting older. Death is on its way. And as my brothers and I get older, we are going independent and getting more and more responsibilities. Who knows how well we will fulfill them.

It’s not that I fear the future. I look forward to it. I look forward to seeing God’s plans unfold for us all. But over the past few years, I’ve been learning about the “dark” side of life. How sin causes sadness and happiness to be intertwined. Yes, there is salvation, and we must not take our eyes off it. But as long as we are on this earth, there is no joy without pain.

Birthdays are days when we as a family rejoice and give thanks to God for each other. They are days when I thank God for life … and think of death.