It was not even close to
courageous! We were very young, just out of IU, and we discovered Sharon
was pregnant. There was joy in that news -as well as an
overwhelming sense, on my part, that I was not prepared to be a parent!
Sharontalked about going up to South Bend to childbirth classes. I thought that was a great idea. She said then I would be ready to go into the delivery room with her. I was stunned. Heard those words come out of her mouth and couldn’t believe it! My response was a mumbled, “I don’t think I can do that…”
“What a wimp!” you’re thinking as you read this. The woman is going to go through labor and the guy hesitates to even be in the room?
We went to the classes. Our first of three sons, Bryan, was born at LaPorte Community Hospital. I was in the room all the way, cheering Sharon on. I’ve never quite forgotten, though, that as the RN led me down the hall towards the delivery room she turned and said, “Now, Dad, if you faint please faint away from your wife and into a corner. We’ll get to you after the baby is here safe and sound.” Huh?! She must have taken one long at me and thought -was it my strong jaw line, my clear eyes?- she was dealing with a real wimp.
Labor and delivery are hard work. That is a dangerous line for a male pastor to write because we are bystanders to the mystery, the glory, the pain and struggle of childbirth. Labor and delivery are hard work.
Someone the other day observed that First is in the middle of labor. Something new is being born. None of us know -at this point- what the baby (our future?) is going to look like. So there is anxiety, sweat, work, blood and struggle in the process.
“Do you suppose people realize,” they asked, “that we are in the middle of labor?”
Paul, in Romans 8:22, says that “the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.” Jesus tells Nicodemus you can’t see what God is up to, you can’t grab hold of the new life Christ offers, without being born from above.
I wish somehow I was able to lead our church through this birth without any of us having to work so hard, sweat so much, and experience pain. And yet the pain means something new and good is on the way. We’re just in the labor and delivery area right now. Are you timing the contractions?
Welcome to the adventure!
In Christ and for Christ,
Mark
Sharontalked about going up to South Bend to childbirth classes. I thought that was a great idea. She said then I would be ready to go into the delivery room with her. I was stunned. Heard those words come out of her mouth and couldn’t believe it! My response was a mumbled, “I don’t think I can do that…”
“What a wimp!” you’re thinking as you read this. The woman is going to go through labor and the guy hesitates to even be in the room?
We went to the classes. Our first of three sons, Bryan, was born at LaPorte Community Hospital. I was in the room all the way, cheering Sharon on. I’ve never quite forgotten, though, that as the RN led me down the hall towards the delivery room she turned and said, “Now, Dad, if you faint please faint away from your wife and into a corner. We’ll get to you after the baby is here safe and sound.” Huh?! She must have taken one long at me and thought -was it my strong jaw line, my clear eyes?- she was dealing with a real wimp.
Labor and delivery are hard work. That is a dangerous line for a male pastor to write because we are bystanders to the mystery, the glory, the pain and struggle of childbirth. Labor and delivery are hard work.
Someone the other day observed that First is in the middle of labor. Something new is being born. None of us know -at this point- what the baby (our future?) is going to look like. So there is anxiety, sweat, work, blood and struggle in the process.
“Do you suppose people realize,” they asked, “that we are in the middle of labor?”
Paul, in Romans 8:22, says that “the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.” Jesus tells Nicodemus you can’t see what God is up to, you can’t grab hold of the new life Christ offers, without being born from above.
I wish somehow I was able to lead our church through this birth without any of us having to work so hard, sweat so much, and experience pain. And yet the pain means something new and good is on the way. We’re just in the labor and delivery area right now. Are you timing the contractions?
Welcome to the adventure!
In Christ and for Christ,
Mark
No comments:
Post a Comment