At 2:30am Monday morning Em woke me up from a deep sleep  telling me “I think it’s happening again.”  It took a few minutes for it all to register… actually her water broke while she was trying to tell me that she was in labor.  That made it crystal clear (and a little messy). All of our bags were already packed and away we went.  If there were any traffic cameras between our house and Flowers hospital then I am sure to have a few tickets in the mail went I get back home.

When we got to the hospital we where fortunate to find out that the Dr. on call to do the epidural was already in the next room.  The nurse said that if he wasn’t already there Em would have missed her window of opportunity for the epidural.  I believe it is God’s judgment  that allowed mother’s to experience labor pains, but I also believe that it was He’s mercy that allowed them to experience the epidural.

It was completely different than what I had imagined. After the epidural Em began pushing and she couldn’t feel a thing. She would push 3 or 4 time and then we would laugh and joke around with the nurse waiting for the next contraction. It only took about 45 minutes and we had an extra person in the room.

It is little overwhelming for both of us to know that now we have the responsibility of taking care of a living, breathing, helpless little person. But with God grace we will do the best we can.

Fortunately we signed up for Netflix just a few days before we were rushed down here. In our normal routine at home we don’t really watch very many TV shows. We just don’t have the time. Time has not been an issue for the past 13 days. In that time we have dove head first into the show “Prison Break.  ”I know we are like 6 years behind, but we really like this show. We started with session one and I have to tell you that there are some parallels between the show at our stay here.  For instance, my bed looks a lot like the one the show.  Also we had a rough weekend, so we even began plotting our escape.

Just as an update: We were able to talk with one of our favorite doctors this morning. He is always very candid and honest. He said that he is really pleased that Em has hung on this long as she has. He also said that when people progress as far as Em did that labor just doesn’t normally stop. There have only be a 2 or 3 cases at this hospital that this has happened.  His words were “you must of had a lot of people praying for you.” Yes doctor, yes we did. The good news is that if Julia was born today there is a very high likelihood that she would be just fine. He told us that she could make her appearance today or 3 weeks from now, it’s up to her now. We were also told this morning that if Em goes back into labor they will not try to prevent it from this point on.  We will remain in Pensacola until she is born. A heart specialist will need to monitor her condition after she is born and we will need to meet with a specialist to find out our next steps. We will keep you posted.

At this point in the pregnancy it is pretty amazing. I can not only feel her moving, I can see her moving.  In a strange way it reminds me of the movie “Alien.”  There is a real live person in there! We are even starting to find out what she likes and doesn’t like.

At this point we know she really likes when I play guitar.  Because of the monitors they have on Em, we can see Julia’s heart rate go up and she starts “dancing” around when I play. It looks like Em’s stomach is doing the wave.

We also know that Julia doesn’t like anybody in her space.  When the nurses put the monitors on Em’s belly Julia fights back. Also if you push on Em’s stomach, it feels like Julia pushes back with her feet. Just remember… Don’t get in her bubble.

She is not even here yet and I already like her.  It’s all good.

When you remove yourself from the busyness of your daily life and routine it allows you to really think. Em and I have been in a little hospital room for over a week now and we could potentially be here for many more weeks. I’m not going to lie, I wasn’t thrilled at first at the possibility of living in a hospital for several weeks. I even started complaining to God about it at first. But time has a funny way of changing things and time has not been in short supply during our stay in Pensacola.  I have grown to see our stay in Folsom…I mean Sacred Heart as a blessing. My perspective has changed…  I have had the privilege of spending quality time with my wife,  to read some great books, to catch up with old friends, and to rethink methods and designs of ministry. I am called to follow not to be healthy, happy, or blessed. I think Em has a great perspective on this… check out her blog at TimEmAndJulia.

A plus sign changes everything. We had talked about having children but always in the future tense. The day we found out that 1 “plus” 1 equals three was life altering math. However, even in the unexpected I attempted to plan. The plan was Sept. 10th and my calendar reflected just that. Last Wed. night we lead worship for the youth and started preparing for our busy weekend. Late Wed. night Em woke me having serious back pains. There are several pregnant women that we have talked to lately that get up in the middle of the night having contractions and spend the night in the ER just to be sent home. In my mind it was just our turn to go through that process.

Her back pain soon turns into contractions. Her contractions soon become 8 minutes apart. At 1:30 we arrive in the labor and delivery room at the hospital. We are told we have to wait until morning for the Dr. to do the rounds for a final decision. At 8 a.m. our Dr. comes in and does a small check up. She seems very calm so I expect “everything is fine, go home.” But what we get is “your going to Pensacola.”  I had a tuff time finding that one on my calendar.

When arrived in Pensacola they stop labor… for now.  Em is dilated  6 cm and is holding. We have been truly blessed for Julia to still be holding on and to be in a great hospital. For the past week we have been sitting in a 10 x 10 room just waiting. It gives you a lot of time to think, time that would other wise be swallowed up by a busy day. Em and I have realized that we have a lot of people that genuinely care for us. We have been blessed with a great family and amazing friends. As bad as I want to see her now, Julia is right where she needs to be for now.  God has a way of not answering your prayers sometimes but instead He just changes your perspective. It is amazing what can happen when you “be still and know that He is God.”

Every time you hit the stage all eyes are on you… I have also learned that all opinions are on you as well. These opinions are on the style of music that “should” be played, the songs that “should” have been played, etc… When you put your heart into what you are doing, it is difficult to receive criticism. Reality Check: Criticism is coming… like it or not.

Here are a few of the lessons I’m struggling through now:

1. Listening to the right voices.

2. Listening (period) – when a negative criticism comes my way I have the tendency to tune out.

3. Analyze the criticism –  1. Consider the source  2. Consider the circumstance   3.  Is there any truth in it I can use to improve myself?

4. This is the hard one —  I have to get over myself.  I am not perfect.  I can always learn from others, even if they give the criticism in a wrong or negative way.

How do you deal with criticism?  I would like to hear from you…

“There are three things that are extremely hard: steel, a diamond, and to know one’s self.”  - Benjamin Franklin

“If one person calls you a horse’s rear, ignore it.  If two people call you a horse’s rear, look in the mirror.  If three people call you a horse’s rear, buy a saddle.”

For more insight on this Read Chapter 4 of Leadership Gold by John Maxwell.

Saturday morning Em went to go visit her Grandfather.  While she was gone I planned on doing the laundry for her and mow the lawn. (this is the part where we all go “1.. 2.. 3.. AWWWW.”)  So I get one load done washing and throw it into the dryer, then I go out side to mow the yard. At this point I’m feeling pretty good about myself. This feeling of self-accomplishment is short lived. She arrives home to find 2 loads of wet laundry and a broken dryer.

The day that I had planned for her, which was a day of rest and relaxation was as busted as the dryer.  She then has to take the two wet loads of laundry, plus the other two loads to her mom and dad’s house to finish.  The next 7 hours she spends doing laundry, while I dive deep into the internet and the dryer trying to figure out how to fix it.  Again, I am very satisfied with myself when I find a forum for repairmen that has a troubleshooting list for my specific dryer.  I then proceed to take the entire dryer apart.  You must understand that I am not exaggerating. every part came out, all cables unplugged.

So you have to picture this. I have the entire washing machine in pieces on the kitchen floor… about that time Em returns home, after her 7 hour tour, to find now her kitchen is taken over by dirty dryer parts. Somewhere in the middle of my frustration that I couldn’t get anything right, it hits me. I hurry to put the dryer back together and run outside with a flash light. The Breaker on the outside of the house had tripped. There was NOTHING wrong with the dryer.

Lessons to Learn:

1. Try the easy stuff first.

2. Stay away from the laundry. –  We either have to end up buying new clothes or (in this cases) we almost went to go buy a new dryer.

3. Never think to highly of yourself.

4. Never stick a screwdriver in to a socket to test if you have power –  I got lucky this time.

5. Flowers are a much safer surprise than anything else I have found.

There is an example for us to follow. I believe that Jesus was great at building relationships (i.e. – the disciples) and he was also an amazing leader. If I want to follow him, follow his example, then in turn I must strive to be better with people and be a better leader.

“Leadership is relational as much as it is positional. An individual who takes a relational approach will never be lonely.”  - John Maxwell

At this year’s leadership summit Bill Hybels issued a challenge to all the leaders in attendance to read just 30 minutes a day.  Read some for personnel growth or spiritual development. This is outside of you daily quiet time.  This is time set aside to learn, to grow, and to lead the hardest person to lead… yourself.

1. At the Cross –  by Hillsong

2. Glory to God Forever –  by Steve Fee

3. Revelation Song – by  Jennie Lee Riddle – Preformed by Kari Jobe

4. Rememberance (Communion song) by Matt Redman

5. How He Love –  by John Mark McMillan  - Preformed by The Glorious Unseen.

Also if you are looking for some great music to put in your car, check out NeedtoBreathe’s new album “The Outsiders”