Life is precious

Yesterday one of Don's relatives called to let me know they would be unable to come to Emma's birthday party. As we were talking and catching up, she shared with me about her daughter and son-in-law's new baby boy. When they first found out they were pregnant, they were, of course, overjoyed. Within the first two months, doctors realized something was wrong with the child. The doctors tried to convince the parents that it might be in everyone's best interest to terminate the pregnancy and try again later. Shocking as this seems, it happens every day.

The parents were immediately confronted with an uneasy feeling about the doctor's advice. They made it clear that this child was a life, a human being, already formed by God's own hands and ALIVE. No matter what happened when the child was born, they were determined to give him a chance at life.

The doctors performed multiple tests over the months of pregnancy. The baby boy was "sitting" Indian style in the womb. A c-section was planned for the end of March. However, the baby decided he wanted to come early, so the c-section was done last Monday. At birth, the baby was diagnosed with some type of musculoskeletal dysfunction and was born with both femurs fractured. His little feet were turned in significantly. He was, from the waist up, a perfectly formed, healthy, newborn baby boy. The doctors labored over his lower body and placed him in a cast from the waist down. Then the doctors told the parents, "Everything that is wrong with him can be fixed. None of it is permanent and none of it will affect his life." You can imagine the waves of relief and thanksgiving that came over the parents at that point. You can also imagine the thanks they gave to God for His Spirit intervening and prohibiting them from terminating this life several months ago. Trusting Him, they endured the several months of unknowns and were rewarded with a precious new life.

How often in today's world we hear stories of young lives being thrown away, or babies terminated before taking their first breath. I was so overjoyed to hear this story of parents "taking the risks" as the doctors said, and leaving it in God's hands. When we hung up the phone I just sat and cried out my thanks to God for this little boy's life. It was just 34 years ago that my own mother was faced with the decision of what to do about her pregnancy and chose life. I was again reminded of the grace and mercy of our father, and gave praise again for the life He gave.

"Life is precious, life is sweet, like the earth beneath my feet, though I know I'm passing through, I know I belong to You, life is precious, life is sweet, and this truth makes it complete, knowing Jesus died for me, life is precious, life is precious, life is sweet" (Wes King)