Birthday tattoos
Hello!
Welcome back to Dorie's Stories {devotional} Blog!!!
For this post, I wrote a brand new devotional story that will be featured in my upcoming book!
The month of April is a busy one for our family. It starts the period of time when there are 7 birthdays in a span of about 3 weeks! It usually also includes Easter Sunday which is right around the corner.
This devotional story is inspired by this birthday frenzy and my amazing husband who goes along with my manic ideas, even dressing up as a tattoo artist for his daughter's rockstar birthday party.
From a future chapter from my currently unnamed next book . . .
Chapter ?: Birthday Tattoos
A decision was made at one point in my mothering journey to make birthdays a big deal. My logic was that it would somehow be easier to be totally awesome one day a year (per kid) than to try to be awesome every day.
I did not think this all the way through.
I did not anticipate the possible repercussions.
I did not know that my daughter would carry around a birthday binder several months out.
We did all the themes.
The tea parties,
the fairies,
the princesses,
lots of princesses,
the fashion models,
the rockstars
were a few of the favorites.
I always roped my husband into the action. He built mini stages and catwalks in our living room, a candy shoppe in the kitchen, a paint studio in our girls’ room, and even dressed up as the tattoo artist as part of the rockstar party crew.
But I knew it was coming.
Our oldest daughter was turning 16. I’m convinced that whoever invented the “Sweet 16” concept must have also sold party supplies.
She actually had wanted a quinceanera theme for her 15th, but I had heard the tales of the families who had to hire a bankruptcy lawyer after their daughters’ parties. So, I reminded her that we were not suddenly Latina. If I was, I would have things like thick hair, a beautiful skin tone, and I would be able to dance.
So I told her: “no way, Jose.”
Instead, we saved our money for the Sweet Sixteen. She told us that she wanted a “Cinderella" theme.
My response: “that sounds expensive.”
Then, I stopped and asked, “Wait, are you thinking: pre-prince or post-prince?” I realized that I could throw a great pre-prince party with some rags and cleaning opportunities.
She meant post-prince.
We couldn’t stop now. We were in way too deep.
I never had imagined I would be making chandeliers out of hula hoops or that my husband would be chopping down trees to make centerpieces or that I would be creating a video montage of her life so far!
That’s just what happens when you make big deals out of birthdays.
I don’t think I’m the only one.
Websites like Pinterest™ are full of birthday boards with images of tall cakes and pony rides and balloon arches and clowns (well, maybe not many clowns). There are obviously other moms who think birthdays should be a huge deal.
As I started preparing for my daughter’s next birthday bash this month and Easter is right around the corner, I felt like this verse about the resurrection in 1 Peter jumped off the page:
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. This inheritance is kept in
heaven for you…”
1 Peter 1:3-4
A new birth? Was there a party?
The apostle Peter is writing to groups of believers who he had visited and ministered to, but they were struggling with persecution for their faith. In these verses, he is reminding them about the powerful resurrection of Jesus as a means to bring us a new birth — a new birth into a living hope.
Peter had seen it with his own eyes. He saw Jesus’ death on the cross and he had seen the empty tomb and then he even spoke to Jesus again. I can only imagine Peter’s excitement as he relayed the stories to these new believers and encouraged them with the power behind them.
Let his words encourage you today! This new birthday was given to us through the victory Jesus had over death and the grave. When He rose again, it came with new life and a new hope for you and me. And, there were even gifts…a heavenly “inheritance!”
Reflect & Journal:
Let’s celebrate! Write “Happy Birth-day” in the journal section and thank Jesus for for the power He has over death and for the living hope you have in Him. You can even draw a balloon arch or a birthday tattoo.
. . .
I hope you enjoyed the devotional excerpt! Feel free to share it with someone you think would enjoy a devotional story involving rockstar birthday tattoos and the living hope we can find in Jesus.
Here’s the link to share:
With hope & joy, Dorie Mclemore
P.s. next time, I’m planning to post another devotional story excerpt from my book, Hope Looks Good on You! A Comedian's Joy-inducing Daily Devotional for Women. Make sure you are subscribed at the link above to get the notification in your inbox!
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P.p.s. I have had the incredible opportunity to connect with Kerrie Oles and Unlocked Ministries in a special way! Her ministry reaches out to women in prisons, halfway houses, and those in group homes who are survivors of domestic violence or sex trafficking to give them "Boxes of Hope." When I heard her story, I knew I needed to get involved. I gave her one of my devotional books and she felt they would make a great addition to their boxes of hope along with their Unlocked curriculum. If you would like to get involved by donating my devotional books to their ministry, please click on the box below: