Percentages
I'm in the one percent. And I'm not happy about it.
On the Friday before Thanksgiving, I went in for my long overdue vasectomy procedure. I had put it off for a couple of years (which is why we have 4 kids instead of 3), but finally got up the courage to get it done. I talked with friends who told me it was no big deal. I went to the urologist's office to hear how the procedure works and what would happen afterwards. And as I drove myself to the office that morning, I was calm, cool and collected.
That was at 8:00am. By the time 3:00pm rolled around, I was anything but.
I was in the one percent that has complications. In my case, a cut/broken/burst blood vessel that filled any and all available space within that area with blood. For close to two weeks now I've been miserable, in pain, and generally useless. Now I just have to wait for my body to reabsorb all of that excess fluid build up.
One percent.
My son Tanner had his first birthday just a couple of days after my procedure. He's an even more astounding percentage. My wife was (faithfully) on the birth control pill when Tanner was conceived. That puts him in the "less than one percent" range; closer to one half of one-percent, as the pill has an effective rate of somewhere around 99.5%.
Half of one percent.
Before Tanner was born, the doctors ordered tests, and we were told that there was a one in 50 chance (that works out to 2%) that he might be born with Down's Syndrome, or a similar genetic disorder. That was scary news to hear. Really scary.
Two percent.
So many of life's monumental events hinge on which side of the percentages you fall. And the question most grapple with is who to blame: luck, fate or providence?
7 Comments:
where does your relationship with God fall into this?????
Where does my relationship with God fall into this??? The question is where doesn't my relationship with God fall into this? How could I possibly go through this life riding the whims of percentages without the faith that my God is always (100%) one step before me, always (100%) one step behind me, and always (100%) has his hand of blessing upon me?
I do believe that you are a Godly man and don't make any major decision without consulting him first.
I wonder though ... (in all sincerity)
Were you aware that God placed, in women, a built-in method for detecting when she is fertile and when she is not?
This may be the only true birth control method that is ethically acceptable. Although the Bible does not clearly state what is and is not an ethical approach to birth control, this seems to be what he had planned. I understand that this is debatable.
Either way, the method is called Natural Family Planning and there are many, many web sites that have information about it. It requires diligence and self denial, but then so does our faith in general.
I do pray for God's healing upon you, but wonder if maybe he isn't trying to tell you something. Even through this, the percentages may be extremely low that your Wife will become pregnant again, but nothing is impossible for God.
God bless you Johnny.
Your brother in Christ Jesus.
FYI - The two Anonymous posters are not the same person. I wrote the second entry, but not the first.
Your brother in Christ Jesus.
Too much information.
Hugs,
Mr. Produce
Wow my first visit to your Blog and I dont even yet fully understand what a blog is. Clearly clearly clearly God wanted each of your precious babies here and I am so glad they are! God continues to suprise us with His plan for my life and I guess he surprised you too. I think thats the fun of loving God, you never know what your going to get when you surrender yourself to Him eh? How are things going on retreat? I am dying to hear the news. You are always working so hard loving our children and sheaparding their faith. Well I don't know if I did the "blog thing right" but here goes. From Greg's Mom
Thank you for openly discussing this! As a respected minister, your example of responsible family planning as a shared responsibility for both husbands and wives speaks clearly to the issue. That you chose to continue the pregnancy and raise this child-----a decision made before it was known how perfect and wonderful he would be----also speaks clearly. May God bless you and your family.
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