LISTEN

Before the Ole Miss-Auburn game, ESPN Game Day showed an interview between two players – one from Ole Miss, one from Auburn- who had collided during the game between the two schools last year. One of the players had been severely injured in the collision; the other had not. I’m not sure of the exact details, but this is basically the story. When the officials pulled all the players off the pileup, only these two young men were left: one on top of the other. Football players are coached to get up immediately when the whistle blows and to hustle back to the huddle or to the sidelines; however, the guy who was not hurt didn’t get up. He said that he heard a voice in his head that said, “Don’t move.” It was hard for him to lie perfectly still and ignore what he had been taught, but he listened to the voice in his head and did it. He said he had no doubt that “It was the voice of God. . .” speaking to him. The young man who was hurt had broken his 4th vertebra….had the other guy from the other team moved, he would have jostled the hurt player, most likely killing him instantly. The story is that the unhurt player trusted the “voice” and didn’t flinch, thus saving the life of the other young man who has since recovered. The story reminded me of the verse “Be still and know that I am God.” In the hurry-up busy world of today, opportunities to “be still” are difficult to find. Most of us spend our days rushing hither and yon to accomplish as many different tasks as possible so that we drop into bed - exhausted – at the end of the day. That certainly describes me. I don’t like to “be still.” I don’t like to sit and watch TV unless I am simultaneously knitting, folding clothes, or doing something “productive.” No “just sitting” time for me. But God explicitly tells us to “be still…” Wow. Like the young man from the game, I need to listen to that voice more often. God has something to tell me, and if I will be still and listen, the life I save just might be my own.

Baby Brown

November 21, 2010

Dear Baby Brown,

I have known that you are on the way for over a week! I am beginning to get used to the idea that my “baby” is having a baby. Your dad called us on Thursday night, November 11 after I had just talked to him at a basketball game. He talked to your grandfather first and then asked that I get on the other phone. That request alone made me highly suspicious that something special was “up.” I probably didn’t react the way that either your dad or I would have anticipated….I hardly knew what to say! I have thought about you so often in the past two and a half years….hoping that you were in the “plan”; wondering how you would be “announced”; anticipating how I would feel! I never thought about a phone call on a Thursday night after a ball game! But your dad was so excited. He and your mom had known since Monday and all he could say was, “I was just ready to tell SOMEBODY!”

On the next Sunday, your dad announced the news at church as a joy at prayer time. “Pastor, last Monday I was taking a shower and getting ready to go to school just like any other day. When I got out of the bathroom, my beautiful wife informed me that we are going to have a baby! She said that it was the longest shower that I had ever taken!” Everyone in the church applauded the news!

Now the real waiting begins…July 19 seems like a long time away. So many new things to wonder about…will you be a boy or a girl?…what will your name be?…and , of course, the biggy….what will you call me?!!! But whatever the answer to those questions will be, please know this Baby Brown: you will be born into a family who already loves you very much!

PEANUT AND LEMONS!!

April 23, 2021

 Dear “Peanut,” 

      Tomorrow is the big day! Tomorrow is the day when we drop the anonymous name “Peanut” and find out your gender and your name. Your parents have known your gender since day one – modern science is amazing. When my babies were born, your Uncle Jay and your daddy, the gender reveal was in the delivery room when the doctor announced “You have a ______.” In my case, both reveals were a boy! Your parents have not only known your gender, I suspect that along the way, while you were still just a dream, that they discussed your name and probably had pretty much nailed down the what the school principal will call out at graduation when you have earned your diploma! One name for a girl- another name for a boy! Everyone in the family has made a guess as to what gender you are. Most believe that you are a boy. I have no idea why they have zoomed in on a boy. Your mom and dad have been stoic in their insistence that we wait until tomorrow for the “big reveal.” They have given not the slightest clue. I, on the other hand, believe you are a girl! Your mom has an app on her phone that has allowed her to hear your heartbeat. Again, amazing! One Sunday after lunch, she let us listen to your heartbeat too. It sounded strong and fast! There is an Old Wives Tale that claims that a fast heart beat indicates that the baby is a girl. A slower heart rate means the baby is a boy. That same theory says that a mother carrying a girl will have morning sickness. Even though your mom hasn’t had morning sickness, I’m sticking with my feeling: girl. With that said, someday when you read this letter, I want you to know this one fact for sure: IT DOESN’T MATTER AT ALL TO ANY OF US IF YOU ARE A BOY OR A GIRL!! What does matter is that you ARE! You are thirteen weeks in gestation, the size of a small lemon, and we are all crazy about you. We hardly can wait until October! For now, it’s one step at a time…we found out about you in March, tomorrow we find out more. Then in October, the biggest reveal of all. YOU!! You to see, you to hold, you to watch grow. And you can believe it Peanut, you will be surrounded by love and we will all be watching! 

 Until tomorrow Peanut. 

 I love you! 

 BB