Happy 19th Birthday Jonathan

Today we celebrated our special guy's 19th birthday.

Every year this boy teaches or reminds me of something new as we celebrate him.  The Lord will speak loud and clear and remind us of His grace and beauty... through this boy, this gift, this child, now a young man.

He has taught us about simplicity
- about fullness
- about contentment
- about joy, the unabandoned kind
- about the gift of wonder,
      seeing things beyond the natural
- about hope, unending hope
- about being a reflection of God's glory.

This year as we celebrated, It struck me how he will sit with us and enjoy eating this particular meal with us, with his family, because it is his birthday, and he wants to be celebrated and he wants to celebrate with us.

Now, let me remind you that this boy usually gets his plate and goes outside to eat by himself, because sometimes sitting at a table with a bunch of people is just a bit overwhelming for him.

Yet today, on his birthday he enjoyed every moment of it. We talked and laughed and asked
him questions, to which he would just smile and nod. He opened his present, we took pictures, his face lit up when we sang happy birthday, he blew out his candles, he wore his crazy glasses and blew his silly birthday horn... because it's his birthday and he wants to be celebrated.

As I was reflecting on this, I was thinking about God's desire to celebrate us.
   This God, who is powerful and mighty, takes great delight  us.  
      This God who spoke all of creation into being, rejoices over us with singing.

and this boy, now a young man, has grasped this truth to the core of his being.  He lives it out year after year, not doubting, not wavering but simply embracing this celebration fully... this celebration of him.

You can read more about this amazing young man at these posts.
Jonathan's 16th Birthday
Hope
Our World with Autism

today we celebrate you, Jonathan, we celebrate with you fully. You are a reflection of your Heavenly Father's Glory - You are loved.

The Lord your God in your midst,
The Mighty One, will save;
He will rejoice over you with gladness,
He will quiet you with His love,
He will rejoice over you with singing.