Have you ever tried guessing the gender of a grandchild?
February 16, 2014
I usually don't get involved in guessing the gender of somebody's baby, but I woke up this morning and felt that my son and daughter-in-law's baby is going to be a boy. Our third grandchild is due in July.
My son Justin would be happy with either a boy or a girl, but with my dream last night and my waking up with it clearly on my mind left me with the clear impression that it's going to be a boy? Why do I say that, you ask?
From my dream, it's simple. I harken back to the beginning of my relationship with him when I cut his umbilical cord. From that point on the bond between the two of us grew and grew.
The male bonding thing started early and it didn't stop. Of course, he spent lots of time with my wife. They bonded too. But there was always something special between him and me. That grew as he got older.
I was never a big sportsman, but we went to all kinds of games. I took him to work. We talked and then we talked some more. Then we both discovered computers and the web early on. We sat side by side in my old study while we went through an all-text version of the web. We were both totally fascinated by where we landed with each menu choice.
He was also interested in my work as both a reporter and as a political staffer. And he went with me to every kind of event and meeting imaginable and then we would talk about it.
Before he left grade school, we were both introduced to cappuccino and coffee shops. We started to do the family grocery shopping every week which was always preceded by getting a cappuccino. It was a time that was filled with conversation. I could go on and on about all the other things we did together, including the nine or ten Promise Keeper events we went to.
That relationship has been through a few transitions. He has become a full-fledged adult with a wife and a pre-born kid. We still talk a lot even though he's on the other side of the country. I was the best man at his wedding, a supreme honor.
But, I think it reflects the fact that we are best friends. I value his advice and opinions and he does the same with mine. I really won when it comes to having a son. Actually, I really won bigtime in having a daughter too. I feel really close to her too. She's major league special.
So, I think Justin's going to have a son. Let me modify that. I hope he can have the same experience I had in having that special relationship between a father and son. But, if he has a daughter that relationship is just as special.
I thank God for the privilege of being a Dad. It's a role that's in the top rank of my resume. Matt Redmond, the Christian singer, has a song about having 10,000 Reason to praise God. My kids and my wife would take up more than half of those.
I don't really know which gender the new Baby Thorp will be. I just fervently hope and pray that my son and his wife experience the same love and rich experiences that come from having children.
Thank-you God for my wife and my kids.