Happy Birthday H.B. Charles III

It was a Friday, six years ago. My wife had gone into premature labor the previous weekend (she was a little more than six weeks from her due-date). But she was resting, following the doctor's orders, and doing fine. So we agreed that I should take the over night trip that I had scheduled. I was to go to Atlanta to preach the closing night of the "Upper Room Conference" for Pastor Timothy Flemming and the Mt. Carmel Baptist Church. So I went. Crystal and I prayed before I left for LAX. I called her on the way to the airport and once I had arrived. Then I called one more time, before the plane took off. And as soon as the plan landed, I called to check on her once again. I then called when I got to the room. And I called before I went to church. Each time, Crystal was okay, as we chatted, prayed, and laughed together.

I went to preach. And it would take a separate post to describe what that experience was like. But I wasn't in my seat a minute before Charles, one of the associate pastors of Mt. Church, where I serve, whispered in my ear. "They had to rush Crystal to the hospital, doc." he said, trying to sound as calm as possible. "She's in surgery right now." I think there have been very few times in my life when I have felt as helpless as I did during those minutes I sat there. I don't think I was scared. I remember having just one thought. I wanted to be with my wife, whatever was going on or was about to happen. The news was passed on to Pastor Fleming and he eventually prayed for me. Again, it would take a separate post to describe what that was like. But a few minutes after he had finished praying, Charles charged onto the platform with a note. The pastor handed Charles the microphone and he read from the paper: "It's a boy! Crystal is fine!" And that's how I heard about the birth of my son, with a congregation of people I did not know.

I was not able to get a flight out of Atlanta until early the next morning. And when I arrived home, I rushed to the hospital to see my wife and meet my son. Crystal was obviously tired, in some pain, but as beautiful as ever. My son was connected to all kinds of tubes and wires and stuff. But I instantly fell in love with him, the moment I saw him. And I regularly fall in love with him all over again, when I hold his precious face in my hands. I don't know how long he's going to let me keep kissing him, so I have to get as many in now as possible.

This morning, I tried to tell him this story before he went to school. When I finished, he jumped up and ran over to his mother and said, "What!?!? You had another baby boy before me!" "No, son." she whispered. "Your daddy is talking about you. He's trying to tell you about your birthday." Oh well, so much for sentimental moments. But that's all right. Tomorrow is my son's 6th birthday. And watching him grow up is a great blessing. He's intimated by the preaching thing. But at the same time, he wants to be like his daddy. Sometimes, when I catch him trying to do something like me, I'll tell him, "You're not me." And he'll quickly respond, "Yes, I am." In fact, he's now on a campaign for us to switch. He wants to be Junior and he wants to me to be Trey (these are the names by which my wife calls us around the house).

I love my son with all my heart. I am proud of the person I am watching him slowly become. I pray for his salvation every day. And I also pray that he would grow as Jesus grew. Luke 2:52 says, "And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man." (ESV) And, yes, I pray that the Lord would call him to preach. It's up to God to call him. But I can pray. And I nurture in him a love for the God, scripture, and the church. And I can live in such a way that causes him to view the ministry as a honorable vocation. But whatever God chooses to do in his life, he'll always be my son. And I will always love him. May God grant him many more birthdays. And may I be blessed to be around to see them.

PS - Hey, if you get a chance, check out my blog this weekend for my first "Saturday Shout-Outs" post.