Birthdays are a special time in one’s life. It is a date that signifies you have lived and survived through the scribbling of life. Birthdays bring the wonderful satisfaction of another chapter finished, a new one beginning. They give you the opportunity of reading back over the pages written, and determining where you want to take your story. When you read back over the ink blots and flourishes you find tales woven of accomplishment won, Trials endured, people encountered, emotions felt, and all of this combined gives you a sense of the story that is being crafted. Today marks a new chapter in a very special girl’s life. She is 15 chapters into the novella the Lord is crafting around her life. The heroin of this story is Lady Rwebhu Kidh.

Lady Rwebhu is the often the unsung heartbeat of HW. Some of you may not know Lady Rwebhu personally, but she began supporting HW long before its conception. She spent countless hours through the years pouring into the life of HW’s maker, challenging Sir Emeth’s mind and strengthening his soul, and being one of the sanctifying characters in his life. That is the role of a sibling after all, isn’t it?

For those who have not already guessed, I am speaking of the Lady Juliet, Jay’s “triplet”. Juliet has spent many years encouraging and strengthening people who are fortunate enough to be blessed with her acquaintance, and today we would like to turn the tables on her. Please bring lovely words of encouragement, beautiful soliloquies, scripture, words of wisdom, and lessons from life. Today we want to overwhelm the Lady Juliet with our love and encouragement. Even if you do not know Juliet personally, she still impacts your life through her ministry in her family. She is a big part of HW and its members. I always think of Juliet like the rafters of a house. People rarely see the rafters. Most people know subconsciously that the rafters are there, but they never thank the rafters for helping shelter and support the roof that is over their heads. However, take those rafters away, and the dwellers in the house would suddenly realize how necessary and important those rafters were.

So come one, come all, and let the day of celebration begin!

Juliet,

First off, I want to thank you for being you. You are a tremendous blessing, and you touch so many lives in countless ways. Thanks for believing in HW, and for praying countless prayers over this endeavor to reach a nation and a culture for Christ’s glory.

But life isn’t just about HW, so I wanted to share some other things with you before I turn the thread over to everyone else. Over the last 20 chapters in my book, I’ve learned a number of things. If I didn’t learn them the first time, the Lord abandoned the 2x4 method and went to get the iron pole. One of the biggest things I’ve learned is that birthdays are a reminder of how far I’ve come… and how completely clueless I am when it comes to life. I think I have things figured out, but the Lord always shows me He is too complex for me to put Him and His creation in a box. One of the things birthdays remind me of is the fact that although I don’t have all the answers, I have all the ones I need right now.

I’ve also learned that the Lord writes my story in ink. I can’t go back and erase out the mistakes and the ink blots. However, I can learn from them. I can ask the Lord to .

When I get to a birthday, I really do like looking back over the past chapters. And there is something I always see written. God doesn’t promise me days without pain, laughter without sorrow, sun without rain. But what He does promise me is strength and grace for the day, not for tomorrow. He gives me comfort for when the tears come. When I say “I can’t!” He reminds me that He can.

So I pray a special birthday blessing on you today, Juliet. May the Lord bless you and keep you, may He make His face shine upon you, may He be gracious unto you. May He lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace. I pray that the Lord will put trials in your path. That you will fall. Because we grow through trials, we are refined through fiery flames, and once we fall, we are able to bring tremendous glory to Christ by rising up again.

May God richly bless you today, Juliet, and many more years and chapters.

Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. Psalm 139:1

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:10

Love,
Airianna/Kaitlyn

I'm going to go ahead and move this to GD. I think more people will see it there.

Dear Juliet,

Happy 15th birthday, again! It was so lovely talking to you on the phone this morning! We should do it more often.

Thank you for your laugh which you share so generously; for your sweet, funny, thought-provoking letters; for hitting Jay for me (hehe); for being a young lady who is okay with standing out and being a bright light in this dark world; for thinking hard thoughts and doing hard things; for being a feminine girl who also climbs trees and does sword fights... and all the other things I can't think of right now. It's exciting to see what God is doing in your life, and I look forward to seeing how He uses you in the future as you keep obeying and serving Him.

Remember... use these teen years to the fullest. You will not regret making yourself learn hard lessons: both in your homeschooling and in developing your character. Much better to be hard on yourself now than have life be hard on you later.

Read those hard books and think about them long and deep... keep doing those dishes joyfully... remember to pray without ceasing... make God your rock and your refuge... use your time wisely... keep laughing... remember why you are living so differently from the world and keep on this path... help your siblings all you can (especially Jay, he needs it. )... stay close to your parents... read and study your Bible... Okay, I'll stop now. hehe.

Psalm 62:5-7

My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.

May God bless you today and all of your days!

I hope you had a splendid time, wherever you ended up going, and I'm glad the weather cooperated. At least, as far as I know it did... haha.

Love,
Carissa

I'm such a storyteller, I can't figure out how to write this post without going off on some long, hardly related tangent...
*thinks*

I wrote you a poem. It actually turned out a lot better than I expected, so you might get a surprise sometime in the near future. *mischievous grin*

To Juliet
On her 15th Bithday

Sunlight dawns
A bright new day
A sacred hour
To think and pray
Fifteen years past
You were born
A star shines brightly
On this morn

Daylight strengthens
Sky is blue
Birds sing sweetly
All for you
Flowers blooming
In the spring
All the world
To you, gifts bring

You are today
A radiant star
You are bright
With who you are
You are truly
The queen of spring
A princess to whom
We gladly sing

Evening comes
The sun goes down
The night birds sing
Your birthday song
The day is over
You star has set
Happy birthday
Juliet

Also, I've had a certain song running through my head since I got up this morning and saw your name. I suspect that's why the poem came out better than I expected... it's from the French musical Romeo et Juliette.

*smiles happily * I told Jay you would come up with some magnificently brilliant poem to give to Juliet!

Happy birthday! In fact, my birthday is tomorrow!

Thank you for starting the thread, Air! And thank you for your delightful poem, Katie. I appreciate you posting on here. (And no, I am not posting for Juliet, this is on my own tab, haha.)

Juliet,

Remember what I told you. You are a precious gift, and I wouldn't have you any other way. Your life and your joy are a continual reminder and challenge to me, sparking me to be more grateful for God's blessings in my life, big and little. I need that. I am blessed to be your brother. I love you, and am so grateful for you in my life. You are a trusted and close friend -- I don't know what I would do without you!

And thank you for all your work and help getting me to understand essence mapping. Your maps and comprehension of the system and its principles still blow me away and boggle me. I wish I could grasp it as well as you. Thank you for teaching me.

Thank you for being my geeky little sister, who I often forget is six years younger than me. Your maturity and intelligence often surpass my own. I love working with you on my projects and stories and sites. And I love telling you geek jokes and watching you go off in gales of hearty laughter. Even the corny ones! You laugh at everything, and I love it.

You are a precious flower in my life, and I continually look up to you and rely on you. You are an encouragement to me, that keeps me going.

Thank you so much. * smiles *

Your adoring brother,
Jaybird

Happy Birthday Juliet! I love your name!

I hope you have a blessed, fun day! You're the same age as my little sister. May God bless you in the years ahead.

With love in Christ

Stephanie xx

Happy birthday, Juliet! May God richly bless your year!

Your ministry with your family has blessed worlds, Juliet. May God return the grace into your own life!

May you have the best fifteenth year you have ever had, Juliet!

eru

Dear Juliet,
I don't really know you, so I can't be like Jay, Airi, and Jaynin and spout long, encouragement filled posts that fit you to a T. But here's what I can do

Happy Birthday!

*splashes glitter around room because it's not HW without it*


May the Lord bless you and keep you!

In Christ,
Vili~

Happy Birthday to the one who opened the world of Essence Mapping to me by decoding her brother's headache inducing attempts at introduction

Aww, such nice things said about you. You must be awesome! Of course, I don't know you...so I'm afraid I can't be nearly as heart-warming as some of the others...or rather all of the others.

On the upside of things, I'm not good with heart-warming anyhow. So you get....let's see... *digs in purse* Hmm...do you like bunnies? *hands you bunny* Oo! And a pie! *hands you pie* And...something else... Oo! I know! *hands you pretty tiara* Now you're a Queen like Airi. Happy Birthday! May God bless you!

Bethany Faith

Juliet;

You don't know me, and I don't know you, but we're the same age now, so I guess that counts for something.

Happy Birthday!!

Happy Birthday, Juliet!

I don't know you either, but you sound like a wonderful person! I hope you have an awesome day!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!

Hope you had an awesome yesterday, willl have an awesome today, and will have an awesome tomorrow!!

Happy birthday!

Dear Juliet,

Happy, Happy, Birthday!! You are soooo much fun! Not only are you a great listening post , but you actually like the geeky stuff, the battle stuff, and the crafty stuff! That just about covers all the bases for our family. And as you can see, when you take a day off, it is really hard for the rest of us to get anything done. I am kidding, but we sure do miss your help when it comes to wrapping presents, cooking, and getting the house ready for a holiday (it is good for the boys to wrap their own presents, builds character). (Oh and don't forget your editing!!! Everybody thinks Jay and Patrick are these great writers but they don't know how much you help them.)

Juliet, teasing aside, you are a tremendous blessing to our family! Your laughter, singing as you work, and helping with whatever needs done really makes a big difference to us. We are so thankful that the Lord blessed us with you. You are a beautiful young lady with a lot of common sense inside, which the world really needs. The Lord shines through you!

Philippians 4:4-8
4 Rejoice in the Lord alway: [and] again I say, Rejoice.
5 Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord [is] at hand.
6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things [are] honest, whatsoever things [are] just, whatsoever things [are] pure, whatsoever things [are] lovely, whatsoever things [are] of good report; if [there be] any virtue, and if [there be] any praise, think on these things.

Happy Birthday my dear! We love you very,very, much!

Love,
Lady Lauser

Happy Birthday!!!!!(x1000000000)

Agh! I'm late! But I trust that you had the best of all days, and have a bright future ahead of you. Have an awesome and blessed year.

Happy Birthday... I hope you liked the Elvish
Even though that was pretty much all Joe's work...

Well, I can think of a lot to say, but I haven't as much time as words, so I will have to try to be brief (which I am only good at sometimes). And first of everything ('cause it's most important), Thankyou everyone for being so very kind! I'll never forget it.

Airianna,

I've always thought of myself as a part of HW, and it was very friendly-feeling to know that someone else did too, even though I never post. It is very encouraging.

All your compliments made me smile at God, because any good there is in me is not of me.

They made me laugh, too. When Mama asked what was going on, one of my brothers said, "Oh nothing, Airianna's just calling Juliet names. "

Carissa,

Thankyou... * hugs * You are a great encouragement to me. I'm sorry I don't have time to reply to everything you said.... Maybe if you ring me again I can tell you some of it.

Katie,

I wrote a poem in reply to yours before I went to sleep last night, but I don't have time to type it in (as with a lot of the things I thought of to say to people). And I'm not even sure if I could remember most of it anyway.... So all I can say is, thankyou for the honour of a poem written about me! * curtsies * Of all the things I expected, that was not one, and it was immensely special.

And very beautiful! * looks at you suspiciously *

Elly,

Happy-late-Birthday!

Jay,

* hugs * Thanks.... * thinks for awhile and reluctantly goes on with a sigh at my slow typing skills *

Elanor,

Thankyou. I like yours too!

Philidelphia,

Thankyou! * giggles at mention of 'worlds' *

Eruheran,

* laughs merrily *

Vilisse,

Glitter! * shakes it out of hair * I like glitter. ('Specially when you don't have to clean up the carpet afterwards...)

Seer,

Hehehehe....

Bethany,

I don't know.... I can't understand how Katie and Airianna know me. I know them, but how do they know me? * puzzled *

* pets bunny rapturously, and whispers: * What kind of pie?

Amanda,

Don't I know you? I know a lot of people who don't know I know them. * raises eyebrow mysteriously *

Suiathon,

Did, am, and will.

Mama (err, Lady Lauser * curtsies *),

Thankyou. I love you... * hugs * You're a lot of fun.


Elanhil,

Whew, it's a good thing you didn't actually type all those exclamation points! Thanks.

Reiyen,

I loved it! That was a big surprise. Y'all did a great job! (At least I think so...I wouldn't know. )

And to everyone who said Happy Birthday, I did have a happy birthday. I had the best birthday I ever had in my life. The older I get, the more I enjoy things, and there was a lot to enjoy this time! Thankyou all! This thread was one of the biggest surprises I've ever had!

*gasp* Our beloved Juliet knows not of the my magic in thine pies?! *wonders if Emeth even knows* I am very disapointed at Shark Bait. He should have informed those of higher power, tisk, tisk.

Well, it is any flavor you want. Which is what makes it magic. Then Inesdar/Brendan/Shark Bait/Eel invented a bunch of silly rules about stealing them. So, yah, interesting story. But to answer your question. The pie will be flavored whatever flavor you want!

And I'm glad you had a good birthday!

*chuckles heartily * I'm glad I made you laugh I hoped I would. I like making people laugh.

As to how I know all about you... Your brother has loose lips. He talks about your family lots, and you in particular. So I know about you from Jay. I'm flattered you know about me

Happy Birthday!

Thanks I'm glad you have a nice birthday.

What's to be suspicious? I'm glad you enjoyed it. I am sometimes dubbed The Poet for the quantity of poetry I turn out at odd times on odd subjects. People around here expected it *glares suspiciously* so it's nice that you were surprised. I like surprising people.