Things seem to happen quickly in my family, so quickly that I’m often left with my head spinning.
In May 2008, my wife and I had four unmarried daughters out of college and starting their respective careers. Within less than two years, all of them were married, and we had added four sons-in-law to our family.
After a brief lull, during which our daughters and their husbands were getting their careers off the ground, the grandchildren began arriving. Just this past week, we added the most recent grandchild, for a total of five grandchildren–and one more is due in December.
As they arrive one after another, I am increasingly amazed by how different each of them is. Some are high-strung and high-energy individuals. Others (usually the younger ones) are more calm and laid back. And each one is special to us.
When our own first child was born, ultrasound technology was in its infancy. The static image was more like a black-and-white Rorschach ink-blot test than anything recognizable. The doctor showed us the printed photo, pointing out what he said were a head, an arm, a foot, etc., and we just had to take his word for it. Nothing was clear to us. We had to use a vivid imagination to “recognize” anything.
Today, however, the images are not only in video formatting but also 3D and allow individual body parts to be recognized and labeled and even humorous comments added (e.g., “Hi, Mom!”). Most importantly, they are unmistakably clear and distinct. No one could fail to see in the image a living human infant inside the mother’s womb. My immediate reaction upon viewing my latest granddaughter’s ultrasound video was wonderment at how anyone could view such an amazing sight and still have an abortion.
I held my granddaughter earlier this week and gazed into her face and praised God for the miracle of birth. I have lived to see my children’s children, and I am indeed blessed. Each of us is “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Ps. 139:14). Each of us was known by God even in the womb (Isa. 44:2; Jer. 1:5). Even then, He had a plan laid out for each of us.
As I gazed into my granddaughter’s little face and watched her sleeping peacefully in my arms, I wondered what He has in store for my precious grandchildren. Whatever it is, it will be good because He does all things well (Mark 7:37), and all things work together for good for those who are called by Him (Rom. 8:28).
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