Feeding Babies Fake Food

This past Sunday I preached from Matthew 7. Jesus uses the illustration of a child asking for real food and getting fake food. He asks for bread and gets a rock. He asks for a fish and gets a snake. I thought of that tonight as I sat with my daughter playing with her baby doll. The "baby" was "crying" and so I told Kate we needed to feed her. What did we feed her? Fake food. Well, the baby is fake too so only fake food works. Kate's so young, not even 2, but she already has an active imagination. She did what she's seen us do with her countless times. She fed the baby a fake bottle and spoon fed her fake cereal. It works for fake babies, but not so much for the real thing. Sometimes it would be nice to go back to a time when fake meals for fake babies is cute. That would mean there is nothing to worry about. Worry only happens when you experience life, and Kate's not quite there yet. I don't remember being almost 2, but I want to remember what it felt like to sit on the floor with my dad and mom and "play." I want to remember how comforting it was to sit between them on the couch and not have a care in the world. Just security. The closest thing to that is providing it for my daughter. God help me to do just that.

The Questions we Ask...

The past few days I've had an opportunity to be on the inside of the most tragic situation of my short stint in the ministry. On Friday at lunch a 14 year old girl, so full of life, was taken from this world in an instant. Meanwhile her 16 year old sister is in a touch and go situation, on a ventilator, with her brain being monitored for swelling. I've heard many times that "You're not supposed to bury your children." It is unnatural and this situation breaks my heart. I've spent some time with the family and watched as the grief overtook them at various times. In these times we're tempted to ask God why? There's some precedent for that in God's word. For asking why. What's the answer?

• 1st - We have to understand that God weeps for the death of His children. He didn't cause this. He didn't want this to happen. Yet He allowed it.
  
• 2nd - God didn't need this girl in heaven. You hear that from time to time, and it's meant to be a comfort but it portrays God in a negative light.
• 3rd - Death is a result of sin. Not sin of the individual but the fact that this world is fallen. Death is still the end of every human being.
• 4th - The hope of glory is that one day, when Christ returns, all those who've died in Christ will be raised from the dead with incorruptible bodies that will never die again.
  
• 5th - In the meantime we're not guaranteed a single breath. While we have breath in our lungs, we must take advantage of every opportunity.
• 6th - No answer makes the suffering easier to bear. A loss like this is a blow straight to the heart. This is the time not for pat answers, but for sympathetic service. How can we respond with loving service.
• 7th - Do you have the hope these girls have and had? The hope of glory, Jesus Christ. This loss will not be in vain.
  

Pray for the Mitchell family. The need the strength and comfort of your prayers. Pray for the daughter left behind. That God would see fit to heal her, and give her a complete recovery. Love them in this time. Ask the questions even if the answers aren't satisfying.

Teaser. Warning: Don't Read if You Can't Hear Pregnancy Terms (i.e. most men)

Ok. Dilation in pregnancy is so much a teaser! At 36 weeks, or the last month of your pregnancy term, you begin going to the doctor weekly instead of monthly. For our 1st and also our current pregnancy, Brooke was dilated at around a 2 at the 36 week visit. We thought, "Any day now!" Then the next week it's the same story, "Ok, this week it's really any day now." Then the next week it's "There's no way this baby goes to term!" Then week 39 hits and every indigestion or slight stomach pain and it's hands gripping the table and and one foot out the door. Family comes over ready for the trip to the hospital. No baby. Delivery day; Brooke plays tennis (surely this sends her over the edge to labor). No baby. Family goes home. 4 days later (and a shot of caster oil) and Brooke's in labor for real. Family drives back to see us (we're in Raleigh), and gets there 45 minutes before delivery. We spent an entire month being teased by dilation and being effaced, with a low key contraction every now and then. Now we're not gonna be fooled by dilation. She's a 2 and 40% effaced, and we don't expect labor before her induction date. Maybe if we prepare less she'll go sooner?

How Long O' Lord?

It's so hard being pregnant! I've been sitting in this chair for 8 months. When, Lord? How long?