Change is Tough
False Labor
I think I've figured out the one thing that I really don't like about pregnancy: False Labor. Yesterday, Julie started feeling contractions for the first time. We both had read a little bit on what is called Braxton-Hicks contractions. Basically what they are is the woman's body "practicing" for the real thing. The uteris will contract some and strengthen to be ready for the real thing when it comes along. All of the books we read said the these practice contractions are usually not painful and usually don't occur more than a couple times. They can be caused by stress, dehydration, and a variety of other reasons. Well, Julie had 4 painful ones in less than an hour. So, she called her doctor and told her. The doctor said, "Don't go to the hospital tonight, go RIGHT NOW!" So, we packed a couple things and headed to Providence Southfield. Our usual hospital is new and not equipped for baby delivery this early in a pregnancy (Julie is only 26 weeks).
There were so many things going through my mind on that drive. What if he's born tonight? What if there's something wrong with him? What if something happens to Julie? Am I ready to be a father right now? What if something happens to both of them? What if they make me choose between the two of them? I really was thinking and preparing myself for the worst. If Andrew had been born last night, he would have been 14 weeks early. He would have had to stay in the hospital in the ICU for 14 weeks so that his body could finish developing. I can't say that I would have had the strength to go through something like that.
But thank God, none of my fears came true. Julie is fine. Andrew is fine. God is great and still on the throne!
Funniest Video
If you haven't seen this on YouTube yet, then check this out. I crack up everytime I see it.
Miracle of Humanity
With the soon arrival of my baby boy (Andrew David Sexton), I have thought a lot about how miraculous humanity really is. Mark 10:8 keeps going through my mind: "and the two will become one flesh.' So they are no longer two, but one." (read all of Mark 10 for context).
Now I know that this verse is dealing with marriage and divorce, but it triggered an amazing thought. Something that I had never really thought about until now. The verse says that the man and woman in marriage will become one flesh. The miracle that I am in amazement over is the creation of a new human being, a little baby. A baby (or all humans for that matter) are half their mother and half their father. Everyone has 13 chromosomes from each parent for a total of 26. This is where this verse in Mark 10 came to mind. Literally, a man and woman become one flesh in the form of their offspring.
When I have the opportunity to look into the eyes of my baby boy I will see myself and my wife at the same time. Sure he may have more physical traits from me or Julie, but my wife and I have become one flesh in the form of Andrew. It is such a miracle and an amazing thing to know how God designed humanity to operate. Mark 10:8 has a new meaning to me now. It may not be theologically correct, but I see a figurative and literal meaning in it now that I didn't see before.
Food for thought I guess. I love God and I love His amazing creation and I love how He designed us.
Am I Dreaming?
Detroit Lions fans, you have finally gotten your wish. Matt Millen is gone. I haven't heard whether if he was fired or if he resigned. But the good news is that he is gone.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3606294
Just Close Your Eyes and You Will See 8/19/06
The majesty of moment
The allure all around
Is delightful and dormant
To sit and stare
The time to think
This second we share
By in a blink
The wave of wonder
A slice of silence
The pursuit to ponder
The dawn of deliverance
@ Any Cost?
Something said in the sermon this morning at my church triggered something in my soul.
Acts chapter 1 tells of Jesus' last words to his disciples before ascending to heaven. He tells them to wait for the Holy Spirit and that when the Holy Spirit comes upon them that they will become His witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Then we read in Acts chapter 2 of the Holy Spirit coming upon the disciples and they begin to change the world for Jesus. They did it at any cost, even when it cost them their own lives.
But in today's world, being pentecostal is a bit exclusive. The day of Pentecost in the Bible was the springboard to the apostles reaching out to anyone and everyone with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Today, people associate being pentecostal with being crazy, snaking handling, tongue-talking, and everything else. When was the last time you were in or heard of a church small group consisting of non-denominational, baptist, pentecostal, lutheran, etc people. Why are we only reaching people that have our exclusive theology or at least are willing to accept it. Why not reach everyone? Why are we trying to snatch people from other churches when so many countless others are lost and don't even know it?
Our message doesn't need to be pentecostal, but anycostal. As the apostle Paul wrote, "I have become all things to all men so that by all means I may save some." We as Christians needs to become adaptive, accepting, and outgoing. Lets use the pentecostal filling of the Holy Spirit as it was meant to be used; to be anycostal. Reaching people even if it means my own ego is hurt. If it means spending some of my own money. If it means going outside of my comfort zone. If it means setting aside my theological predispositions and assumptions. Even if it means not getting any glory, adoration, acknowledgement, or reward for myself. Because reaching people is not about me, but about them. Let's reach people with the power of anycost.
The Beginning - Part 2
My wife and I were just talking yesterday about life and how life as we know it is going to be turned upside-down with the birth of our son. Our focus and attention will not just be on each other and on our jobs, but on this little life that God has graced us with.
The greatest fear that I have is that something will happen that I don't know how to handle. How do I prepare for something like this? How do I know that the decisions that I make will be the best for my son? I fear that I am not ready. I fear the unknown.
Kwame
A few things I never understood about this whole mess:
1) How could people in good conscience continue to support someone who says publically that his family is important to him and he loves his kids, but privately cultivated at least one extra-marital affair with one of his employees? He ran his own version of a mob family by hiring dozens of family members to various city jobs with very high salaries.
2) How was this ever a race issue? Kwame is black. Kim Worthy (DA) is black. Most of the city council is black. Most of the city of Detroit is black. The only white people that I can think of that had a prominent role in all of this was Jennifer Granholm (governor) and Mike Cox (attorney general). Kwame wanted to turn this fiasco into an us versus them issue. Black versus white. City versus Suburbs. But what it boiled down to, something Kwame never seemed to get his head around, is that this legal episode was about him lying under oath to cover up the affair he had and costing the city over $8 million because of it.
Now I am white so some of you reading this might think that I have a race issue with Kwame. It doesn't matter what color, gender, ethnicity, religion, etc that Kwame is. He was a public, elected official who abused his power as mayor to get what he wanted and to get out of trouble that he created for himself. Look at the now former governor of New York just this last year. He got caught buying prostitutes using public money and was kicked out of office. He is white and it only took days to give him the boot.
3) Along those same lines. I don't know this for sure, but I do believe that the former governor of New York confessed to what he did and asked for forgiveness. Some have said that we just need to forgive Kwame and move on. Well, I can't agree with that. Forgiveness of this kind requires that Kwame actually ask for it. But that will never happen because (even though he plead guilty to a couple of reduced charges) Kwame will never admit that he did anything wrong. So, with no admission of guilt there should be no forgiveness. But by all means, Detroit just needs to forget about him and move on.
4) Why did religious leaders continue to support such a man as Kwame? Detroit's "religious elite" supported Kwame almost to the bitter end. Kwame was running around cheating on his wife and kids, having all out keg parties at his house, mis-using public funds, etc all while going to church and proclaiming to be this righteous, moral man. The man, by his actions alone, was disgracing his church, his family, and his Savior. Yet the "religious elite" of Detroit stood at his side. That is something I will never understand.
My views may not be yours. But that's ok.
The Beginning
