Bird Day

Just recently a former colleague shared a sweet story of celebrating fun accomplishments in her family. This is what she shared.

"We celebrate Bird Days. Early in our marriage, someone gave me this dorky little crystal bird that held a birthday candle. Sigh. Soon after, one of the kids came home with news of a fun accomplishment that deserved to be celebrated. So I grabbed the bird and put it her place at the supper table. When we all came to the table, we lit the candle. She got to share her good news and we sang, 'Happy Bird Day," while she blew out the candle and made a wish. Bird Days became our way of celebrating promotions, good grades, good deeds, rights of passage, you name it. The kids were eager to whisper "Mom, I think that deserves a Bird Day." My daughter and son will now tell me their spouse deserves a Bird Day next time we gather for a meal. God inspires! Grab those memory making opportunities that unite you and run with them."

She added that she recently purchased her pregnant daughter a pewter bird to begin her own Bird Days. Now we're not necessarily suggested you get a bird candle holder, but her point about celebrating those accomplishments and sweet moments is certainly valid. There are so many challenges in life that people deal with, that to take time out to celebrate the special moments and precious victories is worth it and so much fun. It's similar to our Joy Jar (blog Dec. 31 of last year) talking about writing down special moments to remember and read about at the end of the year. But this is endearing in that it truly celebrates the joy in the moment. Kinda like when we got ice cream cones for every first and last day of school. With all life throws at people, we need to celebrate all we can.

It's part of edification and building up one another as in 1 Thessalonians 5:11. "Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing." Enjoy those times and celebrate as often as you can. Those are memories worth making for the people you love.

Discussion: What are ways you have celebrated special moments or acknowledged accomplishments in your beloved? Is there something you would like to do similar to Bird Days?

Prayer: Lord, we are so blessed by you and we love to celebrate those blessings. Help us remember to pause in life to rejoice in those special events. In Christ we pray, Amen.

Joy Jar

I got our family a Joy Jar two days ago at Target. I have always wanted to get one after hearing about Ayla's years ago, but just never got around to it. So I finally found us a jar in the Christmas discount bin, slapped a label on it and now we're ready for 2015.

Not sure if the Joy Jar was Ayla's idea or if she found it somewhere, but she started it right after she moved to Rhode Island. She faced many challenges in that first year there, and used the Joy Jar as a way of being more positive about her circumstances. She would write about things that made her happy, successes and sweet memories with the date the event took place and put that piece of paper in the Joy Jar. Then at the end of the year on New Year's Eve, read through all the pieces of paper to reminisce about the joy. Some folks do a Thankfulness Jar and put things they are thankful for and then read them at Thanksgiving. Either way it's a precious reminder of the good things in 365 days.

When we went to visit her at graduation in 2013, I sat and read the items in her Joy Jar. We giggled because between my aging vision and Ayla's handwriting on some of the slips, I misread many of her joys. Apparently when packing her for her move to Bar Harbor, the jar didn't fit in a storage box, so we took out the slips of paper and tossed the jar. Ayla said she hasn't found a jar like it since, so therefore hasn't utilized her Joy Jar.

Brad and I are going to do the Joy Jar in 2015. And we anticipate much joy in the new year ... including a wedding in October. Perhaps it's time for Ayla to find another jar to fill. I think it better be a big one. Wishing you both a blessed, joy-filled 2015. Happy New Year!

Discussion: Would you both like to utilize a Joy Jar in the new year? What are some joys you've experienced in 2014?

Prayer: Glorious Father, we thank you for 2014. So much joy this year! Beach trips, an engagement, Brad became a pastor, he got a hole in one, I moved to the Going Home Show on The River, Ayla got a new job and new apartment. Such blessings and we thank you for them. We thank you for all the joys in Rob and Ayla's life and pray that 2015 is filled with even more joy. We love you, Lord. May we glorify you in all we do next year. In Jesus, Amen.