The day began early, five thirty to be precise, so that I was up and had said morning prayer before our early Friday morning Mass during Lent. What a privilege to be able to celebrate the source and summit of our faith as part of a community where I am very happy and very settled. At the end of mass, despite the difficulty of singing early in the morning everybody sang 'Happy Birthday' and I was presented with a very special watch, cards and well wishes. It was a very generous outpouring of love and support which was very moving. Then I had time to pray until nine o'clock and again this was a great privilege to be able to spend time with God our creator to give thanks, to remember that in God we live and move and have our being, and that everything comes from God and goes back to God. I missed a call from my oldest friend but it was good to hear the message and know I could ring him back.

Then I opened the card from my mum and dad which they had chosen very carefully and had a beautiful picture of a country lane (which they know reminds me of the poem ''The Road not Taken' by Robert Frost which I put in my ordination booklet) and rang home. How fortunate I am to be able to ring home. After that I opened my other cards and presents and then it was time to be in the secondary school to celebrate a reconciliation service with a Year 10 group.

The word was out and everywhere I went people were singing happy birthday including a music class that came outside to sing it for me as I got into my car. It was wonderful to be celebrating God's love and forgiveness as part of the day and again very good to feel part of the school community. After that I had been asked to call in the primary school where balloons had been put on a chair in the staff room and cards and presents. The card from Year 6 was delivered the next day by one of the pupils with her mum which was very kind of her to make the effort. Again it was lovely to feel part of a community that wanted to celebrate with you.

Then I went home to my parents where I celebrated Mass with them which was a very special moment in the day. To be able to give thanks to God and share that thanks with your mum and dad was very special indeed. After presents (including a quite unique mantle piece clock which I asked them for) we went to be with my nephews. And then I spent the day at Tatton Park running and on the Merry Go Round; trying to say a few prayers in the car whilst chaos was nicely going on around on the way back to their house where it was a fish and chips party tea and then we watched Chicken Little. On the way back here I spent some time with my mum and dad at home and finished the day with some quiet prayer time. It feels like one of the best birthdays I have had and next week I celebrate it with my friends as well who texted and rang throughout the day.

Whilst playing with my nephews we made up a new game (or perhaps a variation on several that already exist). There were scarecrows at Tatton Park so they pretended to be scarecrows and stand perfectly still while I tried to make them laugh. God doesn't want us to be scarecrows standing aloof, not getting involved, not being able to laugh and be part of things. Perhaps I had such a wonderful day yesterday because nobody was a scarecrow with me. Thank you to everyone who made it such a special day and thanks be to God.