The Big 60!

Planning

It that’s time of year again!  My birthday!  This was the year of the big 60!  I decided to plan my own birthday party! 🙂  This was the first time I had ever done this, but I decided what I would really like for my birthday and planned it that way.  These were the plans.  First of all, I sent out an email to the relatives that I knew would be here.  This included my children and my grand kids,  my two nieces, and my sister and her husband.  In the email, I told them that this is what I wanted for my birthday:

  • Your Presence -not necessarily your presents. 🙂
  • The Gift of Music – It was short notice, but I asked that each family have someone sing a song for me.
  • Salvation Testimonies from each family member that has trusted Christ so I can keep them in a notebook or on file.  I love to read salvation testimonies.
  • Write out as families 60 reasons why you love the Lord or why you chose to live for the Lord or something along that line?
  • Last of all, come prepared to play some trivia. Let’s see how much you all know about me in 60 questions.

Preparation

I didn’t need a lot of preparation.  I provided the food for the most part.  I cooked a pork roast in the slow cooker  and we had barbecue on buns along with squash casserole, chips an salsa, and tea.  Lauren brought the salsa and tea.  It was a simple yet yummy meal.   I also made a cheesecake and some cupcakes for the kids.   And of course what is a birthday without ice cream?   I spiffed up the house a little and we were ready to go!

Pork Barbecue

  •     Cook pork roast in slow cooker until tender and easy to pull apart.  I add liquid smoke and sea salt rubbed all over before cooking.  After it is done, drain it,  pull it apart or chop it apart 🙂 and let it simmer in the slow cooker until you are ready to use it.

Squash Casserole

  • This was easy because I already had one in the freezer.  I just had to add the cracker crumbs and pop it in the oven.
  • I used this recipe:  Cooking from Scratch – Squash Casserole which is a freezer friendly recipe.

Cheesecake

Cupcakes
I was going to make cupcakes from a mix, but since I already had some baking mix made up I decided to try it for cupcakes.  I used this recipe: Cupcakes from Baking Mix  Of course this was a recipe using Bisquick, but I just used the baking mix I had and it worked fine.

Party Time!

The Gift of Presence

This was the best party that I ever had!   I had a picture taken of myself with every guest.  Sorry I just didn’t take time to post all of them.

 The Gift of Music

After we ate, each family did a little bit of music for me.  This was such a joy and a blessing!  Our son, Jeremy who is a missionary in Brazil made a special video of his family for me.  I played it for all at the party.  He has been gone for over two years so what a blessing the internet has been to all of us!
There was a little slide show of pics of me from birth to marriage.  However, I did not have time to put them in order so they are just thrown out here randomly.

Trivia Fun

Let’s see how much my family knows about me.   I made up a 60 questionnaire all about me from birth to marriage.  Well,  I guess I didn’t fill my family in on as many things as I should have while they were growing up.  My daughter got the most right – 28 I think.

Salvation Testimonies

I would love to put all the salvation testimonies on here, but perhaps I can do that in another post.  But I really want to share one.  My grand daughter, Addie, who is 6 years old wrote hers for me.  In fact we were sitting in church and she wrote it when she heard the Pastor talk about knowing Jesus was in your heart.

A Perfect Ending

I asked each family to write out 60 reasons why they love the Lord and want to serve Him.  We took time to share some of those reasons.  Oh how thankful I am to have a family who loves and serves God.  Below was the list that my husband and I made up:

1. He first loved me.2. He sent His only begotten son to die in my place.3. He forgives all my sin

4. He saved me by His shed blood

5. He has never left nor forsaken me.

6. He is ever merciful and His mercies are new every morning.

7. He gives grace in the time of need.

8. He is my creator.

9. He allows me to come boldly before the throne of grace anytime, day or night.

10. He is my strength.

11. He supplies all my need.

12. He gives me my heart’s desires.

13. He gives exceeding abundant above all that I ask or think.

14. He is my protector.

15. He is my shepherd.

16. He has given me eternal life.

17. He convicts me and chastens me.

18. He comforts me.

19. He speaks to me through His Word.

20. He satisfies my every longing.

21. He is my deliverer.

22. He loves righteousness and leads me in the paths of righteousness.

23. He puts a song in my heart.

24. He has made me a new creature.

25. He has given me a godly husband and godly children.

26. He has blessed me materially and gone way above my needs.

27. He hears and answers prayer.

28. He has given me His beautiful creation to enjoy.

29. He  always in control.

30. He keeps all His promises.

51. 31. He is all wise and gives me wisdom and understanding.32. He gives perfect peace.33. He stills the storms of life.

34. He stills the winds and waves – He controls the weather.

35. He gives unity among the brethren.

36. He has blessed me with a good church, good preaching and godly friends.

37. He is the almighty God.

38. He is Emmanuel – God with us.

39. He is no respecter of persons.

40. He has given me the privilege of being His son, allowing me to call Him Abba, Father.

41. He is holy.

42. He left all the riches of glory, humbled Himself, came to earth as a man and became a servant.

43. He had a passion for souls from the poorest to the richest, from the sickliest to the healthiest.

44. He will continue to perform a good work in me until the day of Jesus Christ.

45. He is the way, the truth, and the life.

46. He establishes my heart as unblamable in holiness before God!

47. He indwells me.

48. He wants all men to be saved.

49. He alone has immortality.

50. He can keep me from falling and present me faultless before His presence.

51. He knows everything about me, but still loves me.

52. He has prepared a place for me eternal in the sky

53. He calls me His friend.

54. He shows us what the Father is doing.

55. He has made me an heir of God.

56. He remembers my sin no more.

57. He protects me from all accusers. No one can lay anything to my charge.

58. He took away all my guilt

59. He put a new song in my heart.

60. He forgive me 70X70.

We have such a loving heavenly Father.  There are so many reasons to love Him! After sharing, we ended the evening by singing some songs together.   I am so blessed to have been given 60 years on this earth surrounded by a family who loves me.  60 years seems like a long time,  so what must heaven be like!

Seriously, I really want my funeral to be similar to this, that is a time of rejoicing and gladness for I will be celebrating in heaven for all eternity!   How about you?