´óÏó´«Ã½

Good morning.
Contributors to Prayer for the Day are sometimes encouraged to relate their thoughts to historic events or famous people associated with the day concerned, but when it comes to June 23rd I’m afraid I can find little to inspire  me. I could of course tell you that it is godson Henry’s birthday but since he’s only one today even he won’t know that.
However he does have a big brother and sister and they will not only know about it they will also be determined to celebrate the occasion.
After all, when you are 8 and a half and six and three quarters you can’t afford to miss such an opportunity.
At that stage birthdays, no matter whose they are, are always to be celebrated as are Christmases, holidays, new puppies and all the rest of it. It is only when you cease to be young at heart and no longer include the half years and three quarters that you find no joy in those anniversaries which in youth seemed so rare and so very far apart.
As people grow old in spirit another birthday is hard to believe, an anniversary causes you to ask ‘where have the years gone to?’ and worst of all to count time in the number of years it is since poor old so and so died.
But the child has none of this. His life in measured out in hours and days and half years. Her birthday is always eagerly expected. Life is an adventure always with something around the corner. 
He lives for the moment and values it for what it is. No wonder the Lord, who told us to live just for today and without anxiety takes up the child to remind us that there are two ways of looking at time and the better one is His. Lord for this day now opening up before me I give you thanks. 
Amen.