Birthdays are usually special occasions in our lives. They are benchmarks that define us. Some birthdays we accept with joy and excitement, while others are hard, unmemorable, and maybe even forgettable.
My “birth” day took place on a miserably hot summer day in a hospital without air conditioning! My mom had a tremendously hard time having me, as I weighed 9 lbs. 13 oz. and was 21 inches long. My dad thought I looked like a football player! I managed to arrive in this world like most, with a cry and a joyous sigh from my mom!

​This last year has found me going through closets, drawers, cupboards and the garage determining what to keep and what to eliminate. I formed some criteria to help in the process:
1. Is it useful?
2. Do I really need it?
3. Is it of value to me or someone else?

While focusing on Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection this week, I found myself being drawn to the life of Mary of Bethany. You know her as Lazarus and Martha’s sister. All three of them loved Jesus and desired to be with Him and serve Him. So much had transpired in those few weeks before the crucifixion: Lazarus had been raised from the dead, the plot to kill Jesus had thickened, and the Pharisees and High Priests were in hot pursuit of seizing the claimed “King of the Jews.”