Birthday Time

I was born December 10, 1927. So it’s time for my 87^th birthday.

Birthdays are, of course, personal. After all it is my time on this earth that I am observing. But birthdays are also always communal. Without Mom and Dad there would be no “me”. So I want to spend a bit of time this birthday reflecting upon my 87 years of life, both personal and communal.

It has been and continues to be a good life made so by a host of human connections, Divine Guidance and my own response. Here are just a few examples of how this has all transpired.

FAITH. My parents were people of faith. They saw me as a gift from God. They brought me to baptism just days after my birth. They taught me to pray, to trust, to believe in a good and forgiving God. During my years my faith has changed. It has been deepened, been threatened, been modified, exists among doubts, keeps me going, gives me hope for the future.

FAMILY. My family is my greatest earthly gift. My parents sacrificed much for me, sending me off to “study for the ministry” beginning at the age of 13. My two older sisters had to turn down college scholarships (and never went to college) so they could work “outside the home” to help pay for my schooling. My 6 sisters and one living brother continue to care about me and tell me they respect me. (In fact, as I write this, I have paused to answer phone calls from them wishing me “Happy Birthday”.)

I am profoundly blessed through my 5 kids. All are persons with wonderful values, professional success, caring hearts, liberal supporters of good causes and people in need. They have, I think, forgiven me for some of my unwise decisions and actions I may have made as a part of my less than perfect parenting. They know how greatly I love them and how deeply I respect them.

Jane, my wife of 63 years, is my anchor. I do not want to live without her. Someone recently made the slightly enigmatic comment, “You know that the longer the two of you both live, the less time either of you will be living alone.” Celebrating a birthday without Jane is something I don’t want to think about and celebrating with her is a high delight.

FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES. I have had more than my share of co-workers, people reporting to me, neighbors, bosses, colleagues. Most were wonderful supporters, a few hard to take, a very few impossible. At first it was just Rosa Bush and me in a 2-room school. Then it included hundreds and even thousands who were part of a throng of Lutheran teachers with whom I shared responsibilities. I have been challenged and affirmed, knocked down and pulled up, cursed at and prayed over. In almost every setting we had some great and wonderful birthday parties and cakes, including one massive sheet cake with a beautiful birthday greeting in Chinese characters delivered to Concordia Kowloon, enough for 65 servings! --- My number of close friends is now, regretfully very small. I can probably count them on one hand, but in my mind I can go back to multitudes together in quiet conversations, at conventions, sharing good Scotch and honest talk, great dreaming and exchanging quarters won/lost on the golf course.

EXPERIENCES. I am blown away in gratitude for the incredible set of experiences I have had in my life. I’ve taught in grades 1-8 and in graduate school. I’ve been the CEO of a staff of 2 and over 60, had responsibility for budgets totaling $20,000 and over $26 million. I’ve picked cotton, set bowling pins in a bowling alley, supervised, managed multi-million dollar building projects, peeled potatoes, waited on tables, had meetings in squatter huts, in State Senate chambers and the White House. I have preached, presided at baptisms, weddings, anniversaries, funerals – around the world. I honestly, greatly and humbly can feel that I have made a difference.

I was born in the country, a mile from the town of Walburg, Texas with a population of “44 friendly citizens and 1 old grouch”. In my early years a trip of 60 miles was a major experience. Last week I saw an ad for the10 top cities of the world and the top hotel in each of them. I did not stay in all those top hotels but I certainly visited those top cities. As I looked at the list of cities I reflected upon cities which I have visited, usually as part of a speaking tour or similar. I decided to list some of these cities, not in a spirit of braggadocio, but in the hope that as readers see names of cities they have visited they may stir pleasant memories as it did for me. Take a look: Tokyo, Seoul, Taipei, Hong Kong, Macau, Shanghai, Beijing, Xian, Urumchi, Lhasa, Bangkok, Singapore, Calcutta, New Delhi, Karachi, Islamabad, Jerusalem, Cairo, Beirut, Istanbul, Athens, Rome, Zurich, Vienna, Paris, Prague, Berlin, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Oslo, London, Edinburgh, Madrid, Barcelona, Bermuda, The Bahamas, Rio de Janero, Cancun, San Juan, Tahiti, Sydney, Auckland … I have been blessed to have been in all 50 states of our country and made some kind of group presentation in all but 5 of them. Blessings upon blessings.

HEALTH is another great gift for which I am thankful. My body still works reasonably well – most days -. I even shot my age again twice this year. But I am getting older, weaker, hear less well, forget much more, tire more quickly, have low sexual impulses, less stamina, think more slowly.

DECISION. I have decided to stop making any more speeches, delivering any more sermons, conducting any workshops, being responsible for any more events. I want to do only one-on-one stuff like visits to the sick or lonely. I want to be available to my wife and family, especially to our eldest son David who has serious cancer. I want to get more involved in the retirement community in which Jane and I live. I want to continue to support organizations making a positive difference in the lives of people. I want to continue my autobiography via this LOG.

So I celebrate my birthday with gratitude and in faith, hope and love.