Sunday, December 6, 2015

December 6 – “Almost grown”

We went into Texas yesterday to attend the birthday party of our oldest grandson, Jachin.  Twelve years old.  Almost a teenager, with all the angst and aches and pains that come with it.  To her surprise, and perhaps chagrin, he didn’t want one of his Mom’s signature themed parties this year.  Oh, it’s not that he doesn’t like Star Wars (his room is covered with paraphernalia) or Legos (again, he has plenty of those) or Starlanders or Minecraft or Mario Smash Brothers or any of a dozen other video games, for that matter.  It’s just … aw, come on, Mom, he is twelve years old now.  He’s pretty much a grownup, right? 

His other grandfather got into the spirit of the evening.  See, Art always creates one of those little pin-on buttons for everyone to wear (well, truth be told, it’s usually just parents and grandparents who end up actually keeping them on).  But they are always coordinated with the theme of the party – Star Wars or GI Joe or whatever else they have come up with.  Here’s the text of this year’s black and white button.  You’ll have to picture it inside the circle of the button:
Jachin’s
12th
birthday
PARTY
* No Theme
* Dessert
* Pizza
* Video Games
2015
There it is.  Simple.  Straightforward.  Jachin still got a birthday button – just without the frills. 

Now don’t get me wrong.  He had a plan for the evening.  For the first hour he and the few friends he invited over played outside.  Hide and seek I think.  That one never grows old, and one never grows too old to play it.  When the pizza delivery man arrived, the next step was supper.  That was followed in short order by the first round of video games.  Finally it was time for dessert.  Ice cream and brownies with candles on top and the Happy Birthday Song.  Choice of ice cream?  Blue Bell or J.J. Watts H.E.B. Special (the one his Mom invented).  Again, some things you never outgrow.  Round two of video games quickly resumed, and his Mom had to interrupt them to have Jachin open up his presents.  After that brief but admittedly welcome interlude, round three of the arcade opened up.  We didn’t stay long after that.  8:30 was rapidly approaching.  Isn’t that someone’s bedtime?  Ooo.  Ooo.  Pick me.  Pick me.

James 5:19-20 says, “My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.”


Father, thank you for birthdays and the parties they inspire.  You just can’t beat seeing a youngster smile, whatever his age is.  Amen.

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