What is 3-45-54-65?

*3-45-54-65

What do those numbers mean? No, they’re not part of the lottery! Let’s start backwards...

*...65: Does your family share birthdays?

In our family, we have more than one member sharing the same birth date. Before my mother died, she, her aunt, my sister, and our daughter all shared the same January 23rd birthday. Our son shares his September 24th birthday with one of my nieces. My brother-in-law shares his September 25th birthday with his daughter, another niece.

I don’t get to share my birthday with anyone in the family. So today, it is my birthday!


*...54: This is a very special and eternal number: it is my spiritual birthday, which occurred when I was eleven years old in July of 1957 at Billy Graham’s crusade in New York City.

The other day when I opened one of the devotionals I read, Days of Heaven on Earth by A. B. Simpson, I turned right to July 5th, not once but three days in a row! I guess I needed the reassurance. The Lord blessed me with the opening scripture...

“A garden enclosed...” (Song of Solomon 4:12 NKJV) The New Living Translation puts it this way, “You are my private garden, my treasure, my bride, a secluded spring, a hidden fountain.”

What a special blessing as a birthday present from the Lord! The Husbandman ploughed the soil of my heart, broke up the dirt clumps of self, removed the stones of obstruction, ripped out the roots of cares and woes, and planted His seed of eternity in my soul!

In return for all He’s done, may my life produce the delectable fruit and the fragrant blossoms acceptable to the Gardener of my life.

One day, I received an ad in the mail, one of those perfume samples that you pull the flap back to get a whiff of the scent. This one tickled my funny bone, for on the flap was written, “Open for Eternity”!

It brought to mind several images, but then I thought, how appropriate, to have the sweet scent of Eternity upon me, for “As far as God is concerned there is a sweet, wholesome fragrance in our lives. It is the fragrance of Christ within us.” (2 Cor. 2:15 TLB)

May I be that sweet aroma in His nostrils!

*...45: This is another special one, though not today: July 15th is my, er, our 45th wedding anniversary.

After the ups and downs throughout the years, they are long forgotten, for the road is now smoothed out before us and each day grows sweeter and more precious.

Thank you, dear, for all these years!


*...3: And last: this blog is three years old. I want to thank each and every follower, subscriber, and reader for their continued encouragement and support. Each of you is prayed for and appreciated. Your comments make my day!

I thought it fitting that I celebrate these special occasions with a giveaway...

***$50 gift card***

Let me know you would like to be entered by leaving a comment on any blog post or the comment box in the left sidebar, and also on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn. Just be sure you mention the giveaway. It closes July 31st.

My prayer for you: “May the Lord continually bless you with heaven’s blessings as well as with human joys.” (Ps. 128:5 TLB)