There is the Generation of Baby Boomers, Generation X, Generation Y, and there are Millennials. I think the Millennials should be called Generation Text. These guys speak a language all their all. It’s full of acronyms – LOL, BRB, CUL8R, ROFLMAO, ICYMI and this one, DFTBA.

A young friend sent that to me last week. I got the message when I first woke up and my sleepy response was, “Dude, you know I’m old. I have no clue what that means.” He took forever to get back to me (like a whole two minutes); so, I Googled it. It means: Don’t Forget To Be Awesome. What a great way to start my day!

Some time ago, I shared with you my belief that most of us are unexceptional – and, although many of you disagreed with me, I still believe that this is true and that there is nothing wrong with that. Dictionary.com defines exceptional this way:

adjective – 1. forming an exception or rare instance; unusual; extraordinary: The warm weather was exceptional for January. 

                    2. unusually excellent; superior: an exceptional violinist.  

That’s no surprise, right? You know what exceptional means and you may be a little annoyed with me for saying that you’re probably not exceptional. Well, neither am I and, again, I believe that’s just fine!

Now, lemme tell you why. 

There are some 200 billions stars in the Milky Way. Our galaxy is only one of an estimated 100 to 200 billion (some margin of error there, right?). Now, for all of these gajillion stars, there are only seven main types. Seven. So, no star is really rare, unusual or out of the ordinary. Mathematically, they can’t be. However, that doesn’t mean that they are not amazing, awe-inspiring bodies (kinda like Shemar Moore, but I digress). Likewise, while we are all pretty much like one another (with the exception of Mr. Moore, Stephen Hawking, Michael Jordan, Sissy Spacek and many others with singular beauty, intelligence and talent) we are still, as David says in Psalm 139:14, “fearfully and wonderfully made.”

Looking at our bodies and our minds, their structure and function from just a biological standpoint, we are truly fearfully and wonderfully made. There are so many chemicals, tiny components and infinite variables that make us who we are. And because there are only two major classifications for us – male and female – mathematically, we cannot all be extraordinary. But that does not mean that we are not amazing in our own ways. It doesn’t mean that we are not interesting or worthy.

The Red Dwarf is the longest-lived and most common type of star, although none are visible from Earth with the naked eye. It’s the least extraordinary. And, yet, it’s function and longevity are amazing. If you had the opportunity to view one and see how it worked, would you not take it? I’d probably knock you out of line for the telescope for the opportunity to view this oh-so-common star.

Like the stars, we are as common as daisies; but, that has no effect on how amazing, beautiful and awesome we are. So, as we head out for the day, let’s remember that and, as the Millennials say, 

DFTBA!