Friday, June 27, 2008

Well, here's our newest baby picture and... it's a boy!

All Around Us

Well, we’re halfway through the pregnancy of our third baby… twenty weeks down, and twenty more to go. I wish there were some way of knowing what our new little one is thinking during these days. I wish there were some way to measure his level of awareness. What are the days like in that warm little private hot tub? Last night Christy and I sat on the couch and watched as the new baby kicked against his temporary hacienda… I love watching the surprise in Christy’s eyes as she experiences what must be the strangest feeling ever - having another person inside you jostling around…

The really interesting thing to me is that pretty soon he’ll be here and when that day comes, he’ll open his eyes on a world so big and amazing; and yet, he’s been here all the time, he just couldn’t see it. When he comes, it will be into a world alive with colors where before there had been only darkness. He’ll hear clearly the sweet singing of his mom, the music of his dad and the sweet voices of his sisters where before it was all muffled and damped. Before waking into the world, he had all he needed for nutrition, but when he comes, he’ll begin to taste. He’ll replace the warmth of the womb with the amazing sensation of being touched by tender, loving hands. Eventually he’ll smell flowers and fruit. He’ll walk and run and laugh and cry amid sunsets and thunderstorms. There is simply a whole world of unbelievable and seemingly endless wonder awaiting our baby boy in just twenty weeks.

And yet, as I said, he’s been here all the time. This world; this wonderful and imminent explosion of sensory experience has been happening all around him the whole time… he just doesn’t know it. I don’t know what my unborn baby’s concept of reality is like right now, but it’s possible he thinks he’s got it made. I mean, he’s warm, comfy, nourished and gets to (sort of) hear a sweet voice that he’s gotten quite used to… Well, you and I know better. We know that it’s much cooler out here in the real world. It’s much better out here where there are strawberries, rainbows, warm quilts and kisses. If only he knew…

I was reading 2 Kings 6 this week and was reminded that we’re a whole lot like unborn babies… See, one time the king of Aram wanted to kill the Lord’s prophet Elisha, so he found out where Elisha was staying and sent his army to surround the city. Elisha’s servant woke up the next day, looked out the window and became scared at the sight of the ambush, but Elisha just read his morning paper and sipped his coffee saying, “Do not be afraid… Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” When his servant was not comforted by this seemingly unwarranted enthusiasm, Elisha prayed that the Lord would open his servant’s eyes. The servant looked again and saw the hillsides covered in a vast army of flaming chariots and angelic soldiers!

There is a heavenly reality all around us to which we belong that is more real and wonderful than this world will ever be. We can’t see them; but there are, on our side, forces enough to quench our fears. Right now we see only the shadows and we hear only the rumors. Then, we will know better. You see, there are awaiting us wonders and delights the likes of which we could never imagine. If we but knew what God has in store for us, we’d never stress, fuss or cry again, but only laugh and laugh until we arrived home…


Here's a pic of Norah... who by the way is pumped to be the big sis of a new little brother!

1 comment:

The Hull Munchkins said...

Oh precious baby boy! We can't wait to see your little face!!

It's hard to express our excitement for you guys!

-Paba

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