A Moment of Celebration

He came into the restaurant alone.  His clothes were worn, his hair a bit long, and his appearance somewhat haggard.  He sat down two booths up from where I was sitting.  Midway through his meal, he told his waitress that today was his 91st birthday.  He even got out his driver's license to prove it!  The waitress said "Happy Birthday!  I'm going to get you some cake."  Having overheard the conversation, I asked my wife if she was ready to sing "Happy Birthday" as we got up to leave.  We went to his table as the waitress arrived and I congratulated him on his birthday and said to the waitress, "Let's sing Happy Birthday." Four young guys at the next booth turned to join us as did two others at a nearby table.  It was a great moment for all of us and no doubt was the old guy's only birthday party on his 91st!    

I walked out of the restaurant smiling almost as big as the birthday boy and so grateful that God had brought me to such a surprising and joyful moment of celebration.  God has a way of bringing us into surprising moments.  There is nothing surprising about the way He interjects Himself into our lives.  The problem for so many of us is that we are too busy to see it happening and even when we do, we find a reason to be more of a spectator than a participant.   

Years ago I remember reading a book on prayer in which the author suggested we give God permission to use us each day in whatever way He would choose.  And while I failed to make that prayer this morning, I have a feeling that He did it anyway as the nine of us celebrated a birthday with an old timer.  There is just no telling what God would do for each one of us if He knows that we desire nothing any more than being useful to Him each day.