Ooops!

When our third child was about nine months old, my wife took him to the doctor for his shots. While there, she mentioned that she had not been feeling well for quite a while. The doctor asked if she could be pregnant. She answered that the home test indicated she wasn’t. The doctor suggested a quick test.

After a short time, the nurse walked into the examination room and announced, “It’s positive, Mrs. Caldwell.” At which point Tina laughed and laughed and laughed. And then she cried and cried and cried. The nurse ran to get the doctor.

As Tina was trying to compose herself, the doctor sat down and quietly waited. Nine-month-old David was trying to rearrange the items in the room. Sensing what the doctor was thinking, Tina was able to get out the words: “There’s no question about keeping the baby.” Thinking about two babies under a year-and-a-half, he said, “Just bad timing, huh?” She agreed.

I wish I could say that Tina got used to the idea of being pregnant again, but I can’t. She spent the next five plus months just waiting for the day that she could be done with the process. Finally, our fourth child, and first girl, came into the world.

Katie was an “oops” baby. She was unplanned and, while not un-wanted, came at an inconvenient time. Adding her to three very active boys made my wife’s days action-packed and quite tiring. Despite that, we were delighted to have her, especially as she grew. Having a female child changed some of the family dynamics. It is hard to imagine what our family would be like without her.

When I say she was an “oops” baby, that was only to us, her human parents who want to believe that we are in control of the things that happen in our lives. As surprised as Tina was, and as surprised as I was when she came home with the news, God was not surprised. God had seen this day coming for a long time. And though it was difficult, God was there with us every step of the way.

God said to Israel, “I know the plans I have for you” (Jeremiah 29:11-NIV). The Psalmist declared, “All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be” (Psalm 139:16-NIV).

I can’t say I know how many of the things that happen in our lives do so because God makes them happen or because he allows them to happen, but either way, he knew that they were going to happen, and he knew what the best result of them happening is.

Has trouble come your way? God knew all about it before it happened and he has an ideal response. Is there a great victory? God knew about that as well and knows how you should respond.

Surprises can be wonderful, terrible, or a mixed bag. In any case, how we respond to those surprises are often more important than the surprise itself. For it is in our response that our true character shines forth and we can bring glory to God.