September 3rd, 2007
Charis is scheduled to be born at 7:30 a.m. tomorrow morning, which means that we must be at the hospital at the obscene hour of 5:00 a.m. But I know it’s going to be worth it.
I’m not sure how much sleep I’ll get tonight. I’ve got some pregame jitters, if you know what I mean, and I think that could make things rough. But there’s nothing a good cup of Starbucks can’t fix.
Lord willing, I’ll be a dad in approximately 12 hours.
Categories: The Birth of My Baby |
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September 3rd, 2007
On Tuesday, September 4th, a miracle will happen: a new baby girl will enter the world. This miracle will be named ‘Charis’, which is the Greek word for ‘Grace’, and this miracle will bring much joy to her father and mother. And the sweetest news of all, is that this little miracle will be my daughter!
How do I know that Charis will be born on September 4th? Because in His kindness, God has given men the wisdom to invent a device that allows doctors to perform a sonogram and actually look at a baby before it’s born. Our most recent sonogram showed that little Charis was comfortably settled on her side, making it impossible for her to be born naturally. Oh how grateful to God I am for sonograms! Had Charis been born 100 years ago, it’s likely that both she and my wife Jen would have died during labor. But in His kindness, the Lord permitted the invention of the sonogram, and so I will be enjoy a birthday rather than a double funeral.
Because Charis is sideways, she will be removed from the womb via Cesarean Section. Oh the wisdom God has given to men! In the space of a few brief minutes, an incision will be made and Charis will be lifted from the womb, thoroughly cleaned, and then placed into my arms. I’m so grateful that God gave Mr. Cesarean (if that was his name) the wisdom to invent this baby-delivery procedure. If the C-Section had not been invented I would likely be experiencing grief instead of joy on Tuesday.
Jen and I are both nervous. We’re entering new and uncharted territory. But we serve the God who invented sonograms and C-Sections, and I’m confident that He will care for us each step of the way. I’m not sure how much I’ll be blogging this week. Maybe if I have some down time I’ll put up a post. Please pray for Jen and me. Thanks!
Categories: The Birth of My Baby |
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September 2nd, 2007
O Thou Most High
It becomes me to be low in thy presence.
I am nothing compared with thee;
I possess not the rank and power of angels,
but thou hast made me what I am,
and placed me where I am;
help me to acquiesce in thy sovereign pleasure.
In my lostness thou has laid help on the Mighty One
and he comes between to put his hands on us both,
my Umpire, Daysman, Mediator,
whose blood is my peace,
whose righteousness is my strength,
whose condemnation is my freedom,
whose Spirit is my power,
whose heaven is my heritage.
Taken from Contrition, in The Valley of Vision
Categories: Pride and Humility |
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September 1st, 2007
Taken from his excellent book “Humility”, here are several practical suggestions as to how we might daily grow in humility.
- Reflect On The Wonder Of The Cross - C.J. quotes Martyn Lloyd Jones who says:
There is only one thing I know that crushes me to the ground and humiliates me to the dust, and that is to look at the Son of God, and especially to contemplate the cross.
- Begin Your Day Acknowledging Your Need For God - C.J. says:
Purpose by grace that your first thought of the day will be an expression of your dependence on God, your need for God, and your confidence in God.
- Begin Your Day Expressing Gratitude To God - C.J. says:
Let each of us recognize every day that whatever grace we receive from God is so much more than we’re worthy of, and indescribably better than the hell we all deserve.
- Practice Spiritual Disciplines - He says:
I’ve found that it’s possible for me to charge into my day motivated by self-sufficiency. But I’ve also learned that the very act of opening my Bible to read and turning my heart and mind to prayer makes a statement that I need God.
- Seize Your Commute - C.J. encourages us:
For many of us, our commute is wasted every day. You can either get into mental ruts during this time, or seize your commute time as a means of grace to allow Scripture to transform your thinking.
- Casting Your Cares Upon Him - He says:
Where there’s worry, where there’s anxiety, pride is at the root of it. When I am experiencing anxiety, the root issue is that I’m trying to be self-sufficient. I’m acting independent of God.
Categories: Pride and Humility |
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