She blows the candles out and the singing of Happy Birthday fades into the background as my mind goes back to the party when there was one candle on the top of a bear cake. It wasn’t just a flat cake. I pulled out all the stops for this party. It was a three dimensional cake with a yellow candle poking out of the top of the brown bear’s head – right next to the yellow bow made out of whipped frosting. Yellow is her favorite color.
One candle. With the blowing of one small breath, one year was complete.
A year that we could never get back.
It was full of beautiful firsts. First words, first steps, first smiles, and first tears.
Each first becoming a step into learning to let go.
And now there are thirteen candles. I am brought back to the present and the singing is getting louder. Now, I can actually hear the adding of CHA CHA CHA from the little brothers with the singing. And she is still blowing out the candles. Each candle is a blowing out of another year. The completion of thirteen years.
There are still beautiful firsts. First club team. First text from a boy. First high school exam.
And each first is another step in learning to let go.
We are blessed to be able to blow out another candle year after year, but it is not promised to us. It is a gift of grace.
God is in control of each aspect of our lives. Not only the number of candles we will end up having, but what our lives will look like year to year.
Isaiah 40:7 says: The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the Lord blows on it.
So we take joy in the blessings that He has given us and may we see each day with our precious daughters as just that – a gift He has given.
May we seek intentional times with our daughters. May we pray intentional prayers. May we live intentional lives knowing that they are watching.
And let’s join together in thanking God for each candle we get to blow out this year!
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