Today is Rebekah’s birthday!
We met Rebekah for the first time when she and my daughter Kelly went to church camp together when they were about eight. When Rebekah was 13 she started coming to Ranch Camp and went on to move into Martha House, where she’s lived since 2006.
Rebekah’s the first of the “Crop of ’84”—of which there’s a bunch here at the Ranch, including Kelly—to turn 25 this year.
We have a tradition of serenading the birthday man or woman early in the morning with spirited renditions of “Las Mananitas” and “Happy Birthday to You,” sung outside their window, or just inside their door or, as in Rebekah’s case last year, right beside her bed as she hid under the covers.
Our efforts are not always sufficiently appreciated.
So last week when Rebekah asked me, “You sing my birthday?” I asked her, “Do you want me to?”
“No,” she said happily.
I wasn’t sure she meant it, because Rebekah is the most reliably enthusiastic member of the
Down Home Ranch community, ready for anything at any time, so when Kelly called last night to remind about the birthday I asked if she thought Rebekah wanted us to sing.
“Of course,” she said.
So in the dark of early morning I showed up on the front porch, guitar clutched in hand, and Rebekah opened the door to welcome me in. We crowded around and sang our songs.
Rebekah looked pleased. She asked, “You sing my other song?” and I knew she was referring to the song I wrote for her last year titled “Rebekah’s Smile.” I assured her I’d be by later on to sing that song, too. And I will, too, just as soon as I come up with a melody for it!
By then it was time for the girls to eat breakfast, and for all of us to start a new day. From Martha House I rushed over to the Dock House for our weekly Senior Staff meeting, and frantically made lists of all the things I have to do this day.
And one of those things is to write a tune for Rebekah.
How great a job is that!?
