Happy Birthday, Becca!

answered me and have become my salvation. The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This is the LORD’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118:20-24 ESV).

Just a few of the people sharing their birthday with my daughter-in-law today are actor Jerry Van Dyke, who will be 80; country singer Bobbie Gentry who will be 67; Olympic gold medalist Peggy Fleming, who will be 63; and, Comedian Bill Engvall ("Blue Collar TV"), who will be 54. There are others I could have chosen to highlight, but each of these reminded me of a small truth to inspire you today.

 Jerry Van Dyke, the younger brother of Dick Van Dyke, endured a long career of being shunned by his peers until he was cast as the befuddled Luther Van Dam on "Coach" (ABC, 1989-1997), which earned him four Emmy nominations, as well as long-overdue respect from the industry. While his five-decade career may have had its share of ups and downs, Van Dyke weathered it with good humor, which, in the end, proved to be his lasting legacy.

 Bobbie Gentry’s career as a country and pop music performer was short-lived, yet her "Ode to Billie Joe" remains one of popular music's all-time classics. Even 35 years after the fact, listeners continue to ask what Billie Joe threw off of the Tallahatchie Bridge. Gentry was born Roberta Streeter in Chickasaw County, MS, on July 27, 1944; her parents divorced shortly after her birth and she was raised in poverty on her grandparents' farm. After her grandmother traded one of the family's milk cows for a neighbor's piano, seven-year-old Bobbie composed her first song. It would be the beginning of a life of perseverance and courage.

 Peggy Fleming is perhaps best known for winning the Olympic Gold Medal in the 1968 Winter Games; however she has many other credits in her career. A survivor of breast cancer, she and her husband have dedicated one of their signature labels to the cause of research in finding a cure. It is just one of the many selfless acts of kindness she has become best known.

 Bill Engvall may be the least likely to “make the list.” A native of Galveston, Texas, Bill moved to Dallas and was working as a disc jockey with plans of becoming of a teacher. While in a nightclub one evening, Bill decided to try his hand at stand-up comedy and quickly found that making people laugh was truly his forte. His homespun humor strikes a chord with people of all ages. Everyone recognizes “Here’s Your Sign” in some of the things they have done! Many could learn to laugh at themselves a bit more!

Good humor, perseverance and courage, kindness, and humility are wonderful qualities for all of us to aspire to attain. The four celebrities I’ve listed have them, so does Becca. As I celebrate her birthday today through this devotional, I hope you will be encouraged to live a life celebrating every day as a great gift from God! Use each day to touch the lives of others with your humor, perseverance and courage, kindness, and humility! Thanks for the inspiration and Happy Birthday, Becca!