happy birthday, Jesus!

i was going to post this on christmas day, but i didn’t get a chance to. christmas day is a birthday for me. it’s the day i celebrate the birth of my Savior, coming to earth in the lowly form of mankind. and it’s the day i celebrate my own spiritual birth. maybe that is why i love christmas so much.

christmas day, 1986
i was five years old and we had just moved to northern california. we were down south, celebrating christmas with my grandma bell. my grandpa bell had passed away in 1982 and was buried here, forest lawn:

sometime that afternoon, we decided to put flowers on his grave. i remember standing there, thinking, “wow i am standing on top of grandpa…gross!” i don’t remember every little detail (hey, i was five!) but here is the conversation i do remember:
me: am i standing on grandpa?
mom: you are standing on his body, but he is in his new body and in heaven with Jesus.
me: how come he is in heaven?
mom: because he asked Jesus into his heart.
me: what happens if you don’t ask Jesus into your heart?
mom: well…you go to hell. <-- yes, this makes my mom awesome
me: am i going to hell?!
mom: um yes…you are.
me: why didn’t you tell me?!
mom: we have been telling you and you are just starting to understand.
me: mom, i need to do something!
mom: you need to pray and tell Jesus that you have sinned and that you are sorry and then ask Jesus to forgive you and come and live in your heart.
me: okay let’s do it.

1986 was a pretty good christmas for me. not only do i celebrate the birth of my Savior but because of that christmas day, i also get to celebrate my own spiritual birthday.

oh and because i turned 3-0 this year, it’s also my quarter of a century spiritual birthday. thank you Lord, for saving me!