HE DID IT AGAIN!!

Psalm 95:1-6: Come! Let's sing for joy to the Lord! Let's shout out praises to our protector who delivers us! Let's enter His presence with thanksgiving! Let's shout out to Him in celebration! For the Lord is a great God, a great King who is superior to all gods. The depths of the earth are in His hand, and the mountain peaks belong to Him. The sea is His, for He made it. His hands formed the dry land. Come! Let's bow down and worship! Let's kneel before the Lord, our Creator!

Amen.

And what an amazing Creator He is. On Monday, December 14, 2009, I had received the blessing of meeting one of His newest creations - Brandon Patrick Henderson.

Many have been praying for him for a while, I know I have. So has his mother. Thank you to all who have been praying for both Brandon and Liz over the past 8 or so months. They are both so precious to me and I am eternally thankful for your prayers.

One day last spring, Liz was dressing Emily for the day and I was just doing normal morning things. When Emily was dressed, she came into the room where I was to show me her new shirt - which Liz had made for her. A fun little shirt with tags all over the edges, but with a very fun message on the front - Big Sis! That is how I found out that the Lord was blessing us with child number 2.

This past Sunday, December 13, we had a Christmas party for our Sunday school class after church. We had a great time hanging out with everyone and eating and eating and eating. Sunday evening we went to church to see a lot of our little friends in a children's Christmas musical. While Emily LOVED the show, and we all had a blast at the party, the day wore Liz out.

When she woke up Monday morning, she said her body was still tired and her back was a little sore. After her shower, she said she still did not feel normal - whatever 'normal' is for someone who is almost 36 weeks pregnant. Because Emily's delivery was so quick, I wanted to take Liz in just in case. Glad we did.

We arrived at the hospital around 9:30 am. Liz was the picture of patience and control, and I was reminded again on that day how the Lord always knows what He is doing and why He set everything up the way He has. I am thankful that I will never have to experience a labor contraction - there is no way I could handle them like my amazing wife.

The medical staff was amazing, yet again. Liz's doctor came by to check on Liz a little after noon. She had to attend her son's school program that afternoon, but told Liz that if Liz and Brandon could wait until 3:00 pm, then she'd be back for the delivery (she was just joking around about the waiting, as there are other very good doctors that were on call and could've delivered Brandon). Well, Brandon honored Dr. Everson's request and he stayed put. She returned at 2:45, broke Liz's water and Brandon was born at 3:00 pm - right on time! It all happened so quickly (for me, at least). Liz is so tough and so loving!

I am so very thankful for my Lord. He has allowed me and given me my wife - Liz. She a consistent encouragement for me - she is a living, breathing example of His grace for me in this life. I don't need a wife to live this life, but He gave me one anyway because He knows me - and not just anyone - but He gave me Liz.

Then He gives us Emily. She is adorable. She loves the works of His hands. She is so kind and sweet (most of the time). She smiles and blows kisses at everyone right now. She wants to obey and is sad when she slips up from time to time. She loves her mother and me very much. And now she loves her little brother. She is a very good Big Sis, and one day, when he realizes it, Brandon is going to be extremely thankful for her.

Most recently, the Lord has given us Brandon. He is very sweet. He wiggles and talks and loves Liz so much. He is doing very well right now, eating and sleeping and eating and sleeping and eating...I love little babies...

Our God is so good.

He is not good because my wife had a safe pregnancy, pretty mild in comparison to others. He is not good because of the quick and safe delivery of our son. He is not good because of the blessing of the great hospital staff that took such good care of all of us. HE IS GOOD BECAUSE HE IS GOD. He is faithful, not because of my amazing family. He is faithful because He redeemed His creation through Jesus Christ. I believe I understand, even if only just a little, what He was talking about when He told us that He came so that we may have life, and have it abundantly.

I have life because I know my Father. I know my Father because of Jesus Christ, my Lord, my King, my Creator. I have abundant life - opportunities show my love for Him - because He loved me first, because He created me, because He was born, was beaten, was crucified, was raised and now lives. He is why my life is abundant.

These are my thoughts and reflections after being a father for almost 17 months, now a father of 2.

Because of Christ,
Matt – the blessed dad