Today was my birthday.  When I was little I looked forward to my cake (from the same bakery my parents used since my birth and I would use for my wedding 35 years later.)  One year I had a rollerskating party and I thought it was the greatest.  I had my Jordache jeans, my pink Polo shirt, and I can say without conceit I was the best roller skater around.  I will never know how much my parents sacrificed to give me that party.  But I do know our little girl is growing up vastly different than I.  What I want her to know, more than anything, is that everything she has is a PRIVILEGE — versus a right.  To have a party is not a given — it is special and requires money.  Every year since our daughter has been born I have written on her invitations, “Your presence will be her presents!”  She has not liked that recently and has questioned me as to why we buy gifts for other kids’ parties but she cannot have any for her own.  I hope I am not being too harsh.  I just want her to know that she doesn’t need more stuff to feel she has had a good birthday.  Only one parent has told me she thought it was great, and she had her child bring a homemade gift as their present.  I will confess her favorite present was from my friend Angela who bought her Mulan and Li Shang as a birthday present.  Angela happens to be one of the most thoughtful, caring friends I have.  But what if she did not have the money to buy them for my daughter?  Would that make her daughter any less of a friend?  Of course not.  I doubt our family knows it, but for years we have planned and sacrificed to try and buy them nice gifts.  I have come to realize there are people fortunate enough not to need anything.  As I have grown older I have made the realization that peoples’ presence are the real presents.  The Canadian-born American motivational public speaker Brian Tracy said, “The greatest gift that you can give to others is the the gift of unconditional love and acceptance.”  Oh, how LONG it has taken me to realize this!  Perhaps I was spoiled because I grew up always knowing I had that from my parents.  Not everyone is so lucky.  Today I celebrated my birthday with the two people whom I love the most in all the world.  It used to be my parents, but now they are both shining in light perpetual in the glory of the Lord.  God, in his graciousness, has given me my husband and my precious miracle daughter to celebrate with.  It would seem that for me three is a magic number.