the new thing I learned today

Before jumping with both feet into a hot topic that can be incredibly divisive, please read this with the understanding that I am only writing from personal experience and therefore am merely expressing my very personal opinion. Not normally one to shy away from confrontation (I fall into the annoying category of person who likes a good debate sometimes simply for the opportunity of sparring) but I recognise that the content of this post is very subjective. The whos, whys and wherefores of any one situation can influence approach and outcome considerably and I will never tell someone else how to feel/what to do when they are going through the same thing...


but this is what I found out about me recently.


My wife is pregnant. A cause for great joy and utter bewilderment in our house. We are blessed to live in a country where medical science has reached a point that means we can know all kinds of things about it before the day it is born. Things such as size, gender and maybe even a little bit of personality (ours likes to play hide and seek while the poor nurse does her best to check it over and make sure everything is ok).


Unfortunately this also applies at the other end of the scale. At this point I can say with great relief that there is no cause for concern with the development of our baby. But that hasn't stopped me going through all the emotions and thoughts tied to the 'what ifs?'.


And this is where the story gets cut short - I don't think this is the right platform for revealing the innermost processes that I have been through recently - so here is the end result.


I love my baby. I was always going to. I always will. I understand that my situation is very different from many others - that, for all intents and purposes, I am incredibly blessed. My hope is that what I stand by now I will continue to stand by regardless of a change in situation in the future.


I guess what I'm trying to say is this - that, as Paul compelled the early church, I would rejoice always, pray continually and give thanks in all circumstances. Or, as Joshua states,

"as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord."