Birthday Celebrations

So how did we celebrate? Lots of ways! Many of you know Jeff and I celebrate birthdays together in January. I'm on the 16th and he's on the 17th. So since it was 4-0 for me, he asked my wishes on how to celebrate...I quickly obliged with a plea for no party but get a babysitter and let's do a nice dinner and show together. So we got to go out to a great italian place that we'd not tried before called GianMarcos. Then went to see "Screwtape Letters" at the BJCC. We'd both read the book years ago by CS Lewis but heard about the show that is essentially a one man show. Very convicting story of how one of Satan's minions (Screwtape) tries to coach is Nephew (Wormwood) on how to make people stumble in their search for meaning in life through Christ. It was not in the big things but smaller distractions that he focused...like keeping people from not being committed to their church, getting stagnant in prayers, putting off doing the little things God calls us to do like reaching out to others with the Good News of Christ! Makes you think for sure...we asked ourselves and ask you to ponder, what little things are causing you to not grow in your faith and be cruising through this life...possibly missing out on the amazing things God has for you? Other ways we celebrated: I have 2 other coworkers to share my birthday with, Russ and Patty and it's always a fun day to go to work. After work, I wanted to have yogurt with my daughter on my birthday, so that's what we did and she chose chocolate with MMs on top! Loved it! I asked for Chinese take-out from our favorite place in Hoover, Mr. Chens! YUMMY! Jeff didn't give me much guidance on ways he wanted to celebrate so I was on my own...I arranged for our friends the Hintons and Stephens to meet us at New York Pizza in Homewood to surprise him and have dinner. We all love good pizza and good friends-so there you have it! Thanks friends for being real friends!!! Ice cream after was a hit too! Claire and I were treated to lunch by YaYa at Bluff Park Diner which also included a swing in the park and my sweet friends Erin and Jenny had me over for dinner. Last but not least, the "birthday club" convened at Olive Garden for some quality catch up and laughs. The Bday club has 2 more to enter the 40 club this year, so good times await! Many thanks to all who remembered us and encouraged us on our birthdays! Made us feel special! What a wonderful way to start a new decade! Just right!