Happy Birthday

Do you remember when you were born?

My granddaughter is five today, and I remember a great deal about her birthday. It was on this day, April 30, 2004, that I received a phone call from my youngest son saying that Maggie, his second daughter, had just been born. Immediately disappointed that we had missed being with them for the birth, I asked, "Why didn't you call? What happened?" He said, "You won't believe it..."

From there he began to tell THE STORY that all of us in the family have come to know and love. And I have a feeling that Maggie will become an expert herself at telling in detail what happened on the day she was born.

Perhaps you might also enjoy THE STORY...

Maggie is sweet, spirited, quirky...and has a strange sense of urgency woven into everything she does. I think this is an accurate description of anyone who happens to be born in a car. Her mom and dad had gone out to dinner and had a wonderful evening. Soon after they arrived back at home, my daughter-in-law's back started hurting. She decided to lay down, and asked my son to rub her back. Beginning with that moment, how were they to know that in 27 minutes (give or take a few seconds) they would be holding their daughter, Maggie?

The momentum of labor continued like a runaway train. Nearby grandparents were called in to care for sleeping Abby, Maggie's older sister. When the grandparents arrived, my son and daughter-in-law were already sitting in the car in the driveway, ready to pull out the moment they knew Abby would be safe.

They lived just minutes from the hospital, but even the short drive proved to be too long. As they pulled up to the entrance of the hospital, they knew they would never make it inside. My son summoned help, and an entourage responded with an instant delivery room to assemble car side. Welcome, Maggie!

Always one to capture everything in pictures, my son was crestfallen that he had no photographic record of Maggie's birth UNTIL...he discovered a couple of days later that everything had been captured on the hospital security cameras--their wild ride in, doors flung open, gurneys rushing out and in, baby whisked away...mom following...dad serving as conductor and choreographer. No pictures? They had a full-blown movie! So much so that the Discovery Channel picked up their story on Amazing Births. The film crew camped out in their home and bedroom for nearly a week, local and regional news covered the action...and follow-up stories.

Don't you wish you had a story like that to tell about your birth? One that you can tell over and over again to friends and family? One that you will never forget?

If you are a Christian, you have a story like that. It began when you were born anew in Christ. He brought you out of a world of uncertainty and doubt about who you are and why you are here...and gave you a purpose in life and a promise and hope for eternity. Sooo...

Do you remember when you were born? Your birth can also be amazing...and simple, so simple.