Celebrate

Celebrate [sel-uh-breyt]

/verb/ to observe a day or commemorate an event with ceremonies or festivities.

It is interesting when I hear the word celebrate, I think about fun exciting things like birthdays and Christmas, a new job or a new baby. The definition from the dictionary says nothing about celebration requiring happy events. Celebrate simply means to mark the event or to observe the day. There are many events we should observe and commemorate that aren’t happy, but are still life-defining. I may not “celebrate” the day my brother passed away, but we do mark the day by always eating Chinese food – his favorite.

Think back over the past 10 years of your life. What are some of the monumental things you remember? New babies? Miscarriages? Relocation? New home? Health setbacks? New job? New friendship? Overcoming a fear? A child accomplishing something big or small?

Take a few minutes to write down the things you remember from this year. Then take a minute to thank God for each event.

The group Rend Collective has a song, “Celebrate.” The lyrics speak to this idea clearly.

Celebrate, celebrate Shout it from the mountaintop

Celebrate, celebrate Even with a broken heart ‘Till dawn awakes we’ll sing Your praise

Dancing in the dark For all our days our souls will sing

Lord, how great You are

We can celebrate God’s goodness even with a broken heart. Can you look back over your list and really thank God for everything? The exciting memories, the memories that break our heart, and the memories that make us smile – these are the memories to celebrate!