By the Rev John Yaxley, Church of Nazarene

MY birthday is November 15 – close to Remembrance Day.

A lot of years I attended Remembrance Sunday parades. We stood in all weathers and watched different groups of uniformed people marching past.

I don't particularly remember being inspired. I do remember wanting the day to be over – because it would soon be my birthday.

I was keen to mark my birthday, or for others to, with cards, but most of all presents! Maybe that resonates with how you have been as a child or young person?

Then, we get a bit older, we don't relish those birthdays so much? But, we realise how important it is to mark special occasions, wedding anniversaries and things like Remembrance Day.

I used to think Remembrance Day would gradually become less important. How naïve was that? It's taken on deeper meaning, become more prominent as fighting continued and lives were lost.

The Bible tells us in Deuteronomy ch6 4 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.[a] 5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the door frames of your houses and on your gates'.

The method of remembering was talking about God's commands, writing them on door frames and gates. Basically to do anything to remember what mattered.

Remembrance matters, it's really important. Not so we get presents. So we don't forget the important things. Put a note in your phone diary, stick a piece of paper over the mirror where you shave! Speak to someone about God's commands, as you walk life's journey with them. Don't look ahead to a birthday in a couple of days time – do those things today!