Giving Up My Birthday

I hesitate to even say this, but in nine days I will turn thirty four years old. I know, I know...it's bad form to put your age in print where it can be referenced forever, but I think I can still pull off twenty nine to the casual observer. Over the years I have had some great birthday presents. I think the best was when Terri bought me season one of the show 24. We hadn't watched it when it was on the air and had no idea what to expect. After spending the next thirty six hours (eight for sleep) watching that first season, we immediately went out and got season two. Some birthday gifts are wonderful surprises. This year I want to take the surprise out of my birthday. I have a lot of great stuff, and I'm not convinced that I need much more, so this year I am going to do something different. I'm going to give up my birthday.

No, this is not the kind of giving up my dad did when he made the decision to just not age anymore. It is not even a giving up of the celebration of my birthday. In fact, I would love for this year's birthday celebration to be the biggest ever, with more people involved than ever before. This year I want everyone I know to celebrate my birthday in a big way, but a different way.

Instead of gift cards and presents this year from the people who are closest to me, I want everyone I know to send me money. Yes, I want you to send me money! Once it is all collected, every penny I get for my birthday will be gathered up to support missionaries all across the world. It will go to support a home that helps young european girls who have been rescued out of human sex trafficking. It will go to support schools in India that literally pull kids out of the garbage dumps where they hunt for enough food to live off of and teach them to be the doctors and world leaders of the future. It will go to support the distribution of food, clean water and the love of God all over the globe.

You may have never gotten me a gift for my birthday before. Let's change that this year. By celebrating my birthday you could be literally saving someone's life. So grab your checkbook and send a card. Together we can celebrate one more year of my receding hairline by generously showing love to people who need it.

Send cards to:

Chris Shandrow

800 E Vernon

Normal, IL

61761