What a Lucky Child!

Our lives were forever changed on October 17, 2010.  Our first grandchild, Emmaline Grace was born.  

When our children were born, it was a new idea that husbands would stay with their wives during the birth.  After the doctor announced “It’s a girl!”, (because no one knew in advance),

Our lives were forever changed on October 17, 2010.  Our first grandchild, Emmaline Grace was born.  

When our children were born, it was a new idea that husbands would stay with their wives during the birth.  After the doctor announced “It’s a girl!”, (because no one knew in advance),

I went to the waiting room and told my mother-in-law, who went to the pay phone to call my father-in-law, who called their relatives, setting in motion the very reliable “phone tree.”  I planted my own phone tree by calling my Mom and my sister, who called all of the limbs and branches of our tree.  Ultimately, after mailing birth announcements to those not connected to our tree, everyone learned of our daughter’s birth.

My how things have changed!  Our son-in-law, Joel, was in the birthing center with our daughter, Heather.  Her room was fully fitted for everything medically necessary, but with the feel of a comfortable hotel suite.  As Heather’s labor progressed, Joel sent updates by group text to us, our son and his wife, Joel’s parents, and his sisters, who were on their way to the hospital.  

At 6:42 PM we heard beautiful chimes and a few bars of a lullaby play over the sound system in the lobby.  In one of the rooms behind the oversized swinging doors, a baby had been born!  Was it ours?  In a few moments, we knew.  As agreed, we waited until everyone’s phone received the texts, then all looked at once.  “It’s a girl!”  

The next few hours are forever etched in my memory.  Emmaline taught me so much in those first few hours of her life, and reminded me of things I never want to forget.

I held Emmaline a little over an hour after she was born.  The room was crowded with grandparents, aunts and uncles, twelve people in all.  She lay in my arms sleeping, completely unaware of how loved she was.  She had no idea that she was surrounded by people who loved her so much.  I couldn’t help but think about God’s love for me.  God’s love for me knows no bounds, and I am often oblivious to the depth of God’s love for me.  Emmaline taught me that God loves me deeply, always has, and always will.  

I apologized to the nurse for bumping into and almost toppling a cart of her equipment.  She was skilled at accomplishing her medical tasks in  a crowd of family members.  I asked “How do you do so well with all these people in your way?  Is it always like this?”  She said words I’ll never forget.  With almost a sad look on her face, she said, “For the lucky ones it is.”  Emmaline taught me that some kids aren’t so lucky.  

Perhaps Emmaline can help us all.  Some of the children and youth that we serve each day in our ministries aren’t the lucky ones.  You know who they are, you can see their faces as you read this.  Their lives are not filled with people who love and care for them deeply.  You, me, and the leaders we work with can change their luck.  

This Christmas season, and beyond, I want to be one who surrounds kids with love and acceptance, bringing hope, and pointing them towards Heaven.  I want to be sure that every child that enters the door of our ministry is loved deeply, even as God loves us.  Will you join me by standing in the gap for those children who have no one else?  You can make a child “one of the lucky ones.”  Love them without condition, look them in the eye when they talk to you, smile when you see them, use their name when you speak to them, and listen, truly listen, when they open their hearts to you.

Have a very Merry Christmas!

1 John 4:10 – “In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins.”

Romans 5:8 – “But God demonstrates his own love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”