July 27, 2009

• Praise for Sam

  Whenever Sam goes away on a work trip, we always hug and kiss goodbye at least a dozen times.  It always crosses my mind that this could be the last time I would see him.  As I thought about him today on the drive to the doctor’s, I realized again what a gift God has given me in Sam. 

  As we have attended childbirth classes and gone to our hospital tour and met other dads-to-be as well as fathers of young babies, I’ve been able to see what a contrast Sam is to them.  A lot of these dads scoff, mock or make jokes about childbirth and labor.  The moms are intent on learning; they’re concerned, they’re making themselves ready for this grand new responsibility.  But a lot of these dads seem far-removed — or at least, very much so backseat participants and observers with an attitude of, “This is her thing, not mine.  I’m just here to be support if necessary.”  Sam is so different from them.  He is truly my partner in all this.  This is our thing.  Not only is he in the front seat, sometimes he is driving!  He is more eager to read up all the information we need to know about pregnancy and childbirth than I am.  He was the one to do the research to find the best OB and the best hospital for us to have our baby.  And he has told me not to worry about trying to find a pediatrician because he’ll take care of doing the research.  And unlike other dads who dread and despise going shopping for baby things and getting things ready for the baby (i.e. we’ve heard other dads complaining about how difficult it is to put the crib together, etc), Sam’s always more than happy to do these things.

  And how he loves our little baby!  He’s always talking to the little baby in my tummy and so excited when Baby moves.  It just doesn’t get old for him (which I thought it would by now).  If I tell him the baby’s moving, he’ll stop what he’s doing, come to my side and put his hand where the baby had moved, and he’ll wait and wait until the baby moves again.  Every movement, every hiccup, every jab and roll is like a little miracle to us, and he has yet to treat it like it isn’t.  He really loves our little baby!  There’s no way to describe the depth of his love for this little life that neither of us has met.  There is so much eagerness, excitement and anticipation.  Witnessing his love for our little baby helps me understand – even just a glimpse – of 1John 3:1, “How great the love the Father has lavished on us that we should be called children of God!”  Such endearing love Sam has for our little one — even before s/he has even done one good deed, smiled at us or done anything remotely “cute” — a love that has been formed and forged and developed simply because this little one belongs to us.  God created him/her, and s/he is ours to take care of until He sees fit to take him/her home.  And we love this little one deeply, just because.  That’s what God’s unexplainable love for us is like, measure for measure.

  What a gift that God has given Sam to me to be my partner in life.  There is no one more devoted, loving and wonderful as him.  How much I love him – words cannot describe.  Thank you, God, for this best gift that you have ever given me.  May I endeavor to give you sufficient praise for your lavish love toward me (in giving him to me) all the days of my life!

  • 9:11 pm
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