Happy Birthday To Me!

For my birthday, I
became Batman.

It's my birthday, so I slept in today. When I woke up, my brain couldn't comprehend why it was so bright outside. I've gotten up before dawn seven days a week for well over a month. The last time I slept past daybreak was sometime in the summer. But I had a good excuse, aside from the whole birthday thing. Last night was my school's homecoming. As the assistant advisor to the Student Council, I had school all day, ran and grabbed some dinner, and then was at school again until about 11:15. It was a long but satisfying day. But I needed to get some sleep, so I turned off my alarm.

The other day my mother asked me what I wanted for my birthday. When I was younger, I always looked forward to being asked that because it meant the big day was coming. Then, when I got a little older, it was less of a happy thing and more of a reminder that I wasn't getting younger. Now, I'm in a good place in my life. I don't want to rush anything, but I'm at peace with the aging process. A lot of that has to do with my complete conviction that this life is only the beginning of a great adventure. Once this body dies, I'll get a new, perfect body and my soul will live on in the unending love of God. And so dying doesn't scare me like it used to. Which means I can celebrate birthdays all I want without an ounce of dread. I'm happy to say that I'm 53. I made it another year. I'm excited to see what the next one brings.

But the question still remains: what do I want for my birthday? Well, that's a toughie because it's hard to think of much that I could ask for that I don't already have. I have a big, close family who love me very much. I have a group of friends who are also my family. I have two great jobs, both of which I love; a comfortable, clean place to live; and a cool new ride. The one thing I never got to do was raise children, but I get my parenting instincts out on my students, some of whom have become just like my children. And there's a handsome young lad named Samuel Schoenhut who I love to the moon and back. I'm excited to help his parents guide him to adulthood in any way that I can.

So what does that leave? Frankly, not much. But if you put a gun to my head, I'd have to say--after I asked you to stop pointing the gun at me--that there are a few things I'd like to ask for this year. Here the are:

• A publishing contract for my new, not-finished-yet book. I've enjoyed the independent thing with The Shalan Adventures and I intend to continue that, but I'm still old-school enough to want to publish at least one book traditionally. It doesn't have to be a bestseller. I just want to be able to say I did that. 
• Speaking of the Shalan Adventures, I'd love to hear back from the production company who contacted me about the production rights on them. That would be a great present. 
• Last, but most important, my wish is that the world and all its inhabitants would learn to live in the love of Christ. 

So there's my list. Publishing companies and studios, how about we get on those first two? As for the last one, if you want to know more about my faith, all you have to do is ask.