Sweet B'day Sentiments!

Happy Birthday sentiments to our one and only brother...who loves choco-covered raisins! :)

G - Gracious, Giving, Grateful, Games
A - Absolutely dependable and loyal
R - Righteous, Responsible, Respectful, Reverent
Y - Youthful - The big brother, dad, and uncle we can all depend on and look up to.

Gary is a great brother!!! He's always dependable, will give his last dollar to you if you needed it, is a very hard worker (but he needs to take time out to stop and smell the roses from time to time), and is a good sport. He's also very talented--he sings, leads songs in church & teaches Sunday School (he surprises us from time to time with a creative and fun visual aid). He loves carrot cake, good comedy, and going on vacation to adventurous places, as well as going up North just to take it easy.

He is a very dedicated Christian and loves the Lord! He adores his family - Marcia and Jared - who look up to him as their rock. Us sisters love our brother!!! We like to tease him from time to time, share a good laugh and glean from his wisdom (being the oldest of siblings). As a child he used to give me dimes and I'd run to the store with my neighborhood friends and buy penny candy (what's that???). I'd jump on his back, when he was laying on the bed and he'd give me a ride. He would come home with pockets full of candy (he worked at Fanny Farmer- candy place), and I would help myself with a huge smile (love that chocolate!!!). As a kid, I'd sit and stare in amazement as he ate serving bowls (not a cereal bowl) of cereal and wondered how he could eat so much - HA!!

Since the passing of Dad, almost 20 years now, he has been the Oak Tree in our family!! We love our brother and wish him a WONDERFUL and VERY BLESSED year!!!! Happy Birthday Gary!!!!!

This is a blessing that Aaron, the priest, and his sons were to give to the people. It is fitting that Gary the son of a minister give and receive this blessing:

Numbers 6:23-26 (King James Version) 23: Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them:
24: The LORD bless thee, and keep thee:
25: The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:
26: The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.

The Lord does not command the priests to bless in their own words but with these exact words saying "thus shall you bless." In other words, this blessing is from the Lord himself and the priests are merely the means of transmitting his gracious will. Blessings to Gary on his birthday. It’s really nice having a big brother.

Our joy is a boy, who we all love; You're our strength and peace, symbolic of a dove.

You're generous and kind, full of joy-despises strife; you're part of our family fabric, and enrich our life.

If we're down-you lift us up, If we're happy-you'll smile, too; If we're sick-you'll say a prayer, you're a gem, and they're all too few.

On this special day, may HIS blessings from above; continue to sustain you, and affirm that you are surrounded by love!

BLESSINGS: "The LORD bless thee, and keep thee: The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace." Numbers 6:24-26