September 2026

Last week was my birthday. When I was young, I hated my birthday because it always coincided with back-to-school season. My personal “holiday” was overshadowed by the often-overwhelming experience of returning to school.

You see, we moved a great deal when I was growing up. My parents didn’t buy their first home until I was 15. Until then, we rented and moved frequently, which meant changing schools often as well. And as a shy child (yes, I really was!), it was excruciating to start a new school year in a new place. Those experiences soured my birthday more years than I care to remember.

When I finished school, I decided to make up for lost time. I turned my birthday into a season rather than a day, celebrating before and after the actual date. I wanted to replace all those disappointing birthdays with truly memorable ones.

And for years, I did just that. I celebrated, received presents, and enjoyed days of fun surrounding my birthday. But something has changed. It doesn’t matter to me as much anymore that it’s my birthday. Besides, I can never remember exactly how old I am anyway! And age is just a number, right?

And my birthday is a reminder now of how I feel myself getting smarter and dumber all at the same time. The pace of change in our world of artificial intelligence has been challenging as I grow older. My phone is as much a mystery as it is a gift. My smart TV often outsmarts me, and my appliances seem to ring, sing, and chime at me constantly. Those things can make me feel old.

At the same time, I feel myself growing wiser. I am learning not to be hasty and to slow down. Doing so reduces the mistakes I make. I find that I’m slower to respond when someone speaks to me because I need a moment to think before answering thoughtfully. I’m also less quick to judge or form an opinion about a new subject. I’ve learned that taking time to understand the world around me helps me see things more clearly and humbly.

We are all growing older. Every day, we are older than we were yesterday. Our bodies reflect that process for everyone to see. But inwardly, we are changing too. As we age, we can grow either wiser or more foolish. Scripture calls us to pursue wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. Right now, we have been reflecting on Romans 12:2:

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

We are all going to keep having birthdays… until we don’t! (Hee hee.) Whether we celebrate with great fanfare or let the day pass quietly, we will continue to grow older.

My goal is to grow wiser as well. More patient. More at peace. I want to be transformed by the Holy Spirit within me, who renews my mind when I give Him the chance. As the years pass, I hope not only to add more candles to the cake, but also more wisdom, grace, and trust in God’s perfect plan.