The party never ends

"Eat them (sacred meals) there with your children, your servants, and the Levites who live in your town, celebrating the presence of the Lord your God in all you do." Deuteronomy 12:18

"With music and singing we celebrate your mighty acts." Psalm 21:13

Celebrate: publicly acknowledge with a social gathering or enjoyable activity, to honor or praise publicly

My Abba,

I wonder how differently I would live if each day I found ways to celebrate your presence. I know celebration doesn't mean just throwing a party. (Although, throwing a party for you sounds awesome.) When I think of the meaning of celebrating, I see it is also about honoring, remembering, recognizing, or commemorating someone who is important - praising publicly or paying tribute to someone.

The idea of celebrating you by praising you publicly reminds me of the way the shepherds responded to their encounter with Jesus in the film I watched the other night called The Chosen. No one had to prod them into expressing their joy. They bounded around town broadcasting their good news to every man, woman, child and donkey in Bethlehem. These ecstatic messengers brought the party to the public square.

I want to celebrate your mighty acts with unabashed zeal. If possible, I want to be guilty of "over-sharing" how awesome you are. I want to start indulging in a daily joy-filled celebration of you. Please fuel my adventure to celebrate you.

I love you,

Mollie

My child,

Most people don't think I am the partying kind. But I invented the idea. The Holy Spirit, Son and I are always celebrating. We celebrate each other, all we created, love, peace, joy, righteousness, beauty, truth, faithfulness and every other good gift. What joy would be yours, if you lived every day in celebration of who I am and what I do. As you get to know me better, you will find even more ways to celebrate me.

Think about how you celebrate a loved one's birthday and certain practices will come to mind. You might write a note highlighting the qualities you admire in him or her - the attributes that make them one-of-a-kind. You might try to find a gift that expresses your love. You might attend a party in his or her honor. You might tell others what you appreciate about that person.

Those practices are also ways you can celebrate me. When you write to me expressing your love, you celebrate me. When you share with others gifts I have given you, you celebrate me. (That is the ultimate practice of "re-gifting.") When you gather with your forever family in my name, you celebrate me. Whenever you tell others about your love for me, you celebrate me.

And by the way, you do throw parties for me. Each time you help create an event to acknowledge, celebrate or praise me, it is a party and I am the honoree. Those celebrations are a taste of eternity. My road does go on forever and my party never, ever ends!

I love you,

Abba