BIRTHDAYS

“And Methu'selah lived a hundred eighty and seven years, and begat Lamech:
and Methu'selah lived after he begat Lamech seven hundred eighty and two years, and begat sons and daughters:
and all the days of Methu'selah were nine hundred sixty and nine years: and he died.” (Genesis 5:25-27)

Former Boston radio personality Scott Allen Miller once mused that something peculiar happens to people upon becoming 55-years-old. He said that people who are 55-plus tend to constantly telling you how old you are in the same way that very young children do. You know; little kids will introduce themselves by saying, “I’m KENNY! And I’m four and a HALF!”. Similarly, senior citizens...even “young senior citizens” tend to say things like, “I’m 62-years-old and when WE were kids, we RESPECTED OUR ELDERS!”

I think “Scotto” is right! I’m 55 (see, there I go!) but for some reason, I started that aged focus stuff shortly after 50. I’ve got age on the brain because two people I know had birthdays this weekend. Saturday, my friend, female Messianic Jewish Rabbi Tobi Hawksley turned 60. There was a surprise dinner and celebration for her at a restaurant in Norfolk. She was totally surprised and had a great time. Tobi Hawksley and I are very close. When my wife and I were first married, I don’t think she quite understood that, but eventually she came to see that we’re like a brother and sister. I met Tobi when she was in her early 20s and was already married with a couple of kids. (She and her first husband divorced years ago. He’s a very successful Italian-American businessman who bears a striking resemblance to Providence, Rhode Island’s Buddy Cianci.) Back in the 1970s, I knew Tobi as “Punk”. Her legal name was Melodie but nobody called her that. When she was a little kid, her mother called her “My little punkin” and unfortunately what was an endearing nickname to her family became somewhat off-putting when Punk would meet new people. I mean, imagine saying, “Hi, I’m PUNK!” People would look shocked as if she’d just said something profane, or something such as, “Hi, I’m DIRTBAG!” Punk had a very difficult life for many years. I hesitate to write about it because it’s personal stuff she experienced that she might not want me sharing.

Sometime around the mid-1980s, Punk did a very wise thing. She changed her name to Tobiah. Well, actually she changed her middle name to “Tobiah” and began calling herself “Tobi”. The story of how she attended Zion Bible College, married an electrician named Alan Hawksley, and became an Ordained Messianic Jewish Rabbi is truly an amazing and inspiring one! My son Jon thinks a film should be made about her life called, “TOBIAH !” Hey, “Lifetime” or “Oxygen” or one of those outlets...seriously, her life story WOULD make a great film! So, there were Mary Ann and I and a bunch of Tobi’s friends in their 50s and 60s (along with her children and grandchildren) celebrating. It was a special day and a great time.

On Sunday, a man in our church, Don Franklin, turned 63. Don has been battling some health issues. He uses a cane and a walker, and so may seem a lot older than 63, but there’s a lot more to Don than his appearance. He’s a very intelligent guy and quite computer savvy. Don’s also had a very hard life. Don Franklin is a very nice guy. He’s a helpful and very much loved, AND much appreciated Member of our church. It was certainly special to sing Happy Birthday to him during the service, and to be part of his special day! Don was going out to dinner with his girlfriend on Sunday afternoon and was quite excited about that.

This past Friday I was in a meeting with a couple of pastors who are in my age group...well, one’s about 7 years younger than I am and one’s about 7 years older. The latter mentioned that a lot of our peers in ministry are looking grayer and grayer. That’s true of me! A couple of years ago, my wife commented that it seems like yesterday that we were among the YOUNG people in ministry in the Assemblies of God Southern New England District. How true! Now, we’re among the middle aged, and the OLDER middle aged, at that! Also true! I remember sitting through the “25-year Ordination Recognitions” at our May District Councils and being totally unable to even CONCEIVE of being old enough to receive a “25-year Ordination Recognition”. Well, THIS May, I get mine! Unbelievable!

So, YES, Scott Allen Miller, I’m at that stage of life of proudly announcing my age, just as I did 50-plus years ago. As long as I don’t get to Methuselah’s 969, well that will be just fine! (I know, DID Methuselah REALLY live to be 969-years-old? Well, that may be a topic for ANOTHER blog posting someday!)

Congratulations to Tobi Hawksley and Don Franklin...and many more Happy Birthdays are wished for you!