Facebook Friends

As I sit here with my laptop, I savor the sweet morsels which are the puffed brown rice treats held together with the gooey goodness of honey, peanut butter, and chocolate (washed down with a glass of milk of course). Who needs birthday cake right?

I look around my life and I have gentle reminders of the blessings God has given me both in the present and the past. Thirty Four years ago, today, I entered this world a slimey gob of messy cuteness (or so I'm told). What a life it has been!!! To think back on the memories of old and to look forward to those that are to come is truly an exciting thing for me.

Today was full of even more reminders of blessing as people from both my past and present extended to me well wishes for a happy birthday. In all, 147 people said Happy Birthday in one form or another on Facebook. I thought it would be fun to see who could be the most creative and allow others reading this post to enjoy a few of the comments. Here are the honorable mentions.

Chris Sue Allen for poetic expression: "Hope your Birthday gently breezes into your life all the choicest of things and all that your heart holds dear Have A Fun- Filled Day.”

Kristen Kanaskie for a classic pig latin expose: (148 people now) "Appyhay irthdaybay, irsay."

Ronnie Foster for his offensive approach (just kidding lil bro): "‎58, 59 this year? Which is it? Happy Birthday man. Miss ya."

Jeff Anderson's non-conformists view: "I refuse to be a comformist and wish you a Happy birthday...I will however wish you semi good day for you old man..."

Gregg Regula's Short, but Sweet: "In honor of your birth."

Tony Pulley's make Lance's Head Swell (though I do truly appreciate it bro): "what a day today is the day that God brought a man into this world to lead his people to his kingdom.GOD IS GOOD................ALLTHE TIME hope you had a blessed day keep driving on see ya soon"

But the winner with the most creative expression of Birthday Well Wishing for Lance's Birthday (yes third person) goes to My Drummin Brotha From Anotha Motha....ERIC WIMBERLY....Words cannot express....so take a watch (I hope you do not find it offensive).



All joking aside, I do thank each and everyone of you for your heartfelt birthday wishes. I am also thankful for the medium from which they have flown.....Kudos for Facebook. I don't know if you have ever taken time to think about it, but without Facebook there are many names and faces that we would have completely lost contact with over the years and likely would have never seen or heard from again.

As I scroll through my friends list (who knew I knew over 700 people)(oh...149 well wishes), I can remember moments that I have shared with nearly everyone....some good, some bad, but all worth remembering because each and every moment is a moment that shaped me to be the man I am today.

Oh how thankful I am for those memories and each person that I share them with. It would certainly be an awesome thing if we were all able to make more and more of those memories again together, but the sad thing is that we won't (at least most of us). That's part of life. People grow, they move, they meet more people, they continue to make new memories.

I suppose the whole point of my rant is for all of us to be thankful for those people in our past for they help shape you. As we do that, I want to challenge all of us to cherish those friendships that we have right at our feet.

The society in which we live, lends itself to the deterioration of friendships. Friendship is so important...why do we neglect it so? Often, we lean on the past and cherish those moments through our facebook friendships. As wonderful as it is to have those relationships, they can not (for the most part) be there when the chips are down.(150 wishes now)

I believe that is why God places people directly on our path as we journey through life's road...to weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice.

I love the passage of scripture in Ecclesastes, “Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.” Ecclesiastes 4:9-12

We need friendships in our life. Cherish those in the past. Nurture those in the present. Bless all who have ever influenced your life, because without them you would not be who you are today and will not become who you will be tomorrow.

Thanks again for the love on this special day of my life. Ahh 151 Birthday Wishes....from my buddy Lance "Deuce" Hammond: "Happy Birthday, Lead Pastor/bass master" I think he is talking about the instrument, not the fish.......badump shhhhhhhh