HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANDY BRANER!

We were living in Augusta, Georgia. The date was July 15, 1975, 11 a.m, when our first born son changed our world forever.  It was an earth shattering event!  Our lives instantaneously changed from that of carefree, young marrieds, footloose and fancy free to PARENTS! 

Wow! What a shock-er-roo!  No longer did we live for ourselves and our own selfish interests but all of a sudden life was all about HIM!  It was an instant love-at-first-sight event. The earth stood still and nothing going on outside that hospital room was worth a thought.

What a cutie! And what a delight!

Grandma Audrey, Grandpa Russell and Granny Gaines showed up a day or so later to ooh and coo and stare at him with us as if he were the first baby born on this planet. I suppose (or I HOPE) that is the way every little baby is greeted into a family.

That was 38 years ago. We have 38 years of exciting, fun memories to reflect upon today! We're looking at old pictures and scrapbooks, laughing, wiping a tear or two and being very thankful for our boy.

Time has simply WHIZZED by. He is now a husband, father of 5,  President of his own company, pastor and mentor to teens, college kids and youth pastors all over the world.

Yes, baby, we've come a long way.  And we could not be prouder of the passion in his heart for his God, his wife, his children and his calling to teach thousands of students the love and character of God. We've graduated from his being providers and protectors to becoming his favorite cheerleaders.

Yes, the Creator's plan to allow us mere mortals the opportunity to participate in bringing a little life into this world has got to be one of His best ideas! How else would we learn that it truly is "more blessed to give than receive?" Where else would we learn that "love is patient, kind and not self-serving?' How else would we know that "love never fails" or that there is "no greater love than to lay down your life for a friend ( or child)?"

How else could we experience what every PARENT has realized: that the very definition of  parenting is "watching your heart walk around outside your own body?"

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ANDY.  We are celebrating YOU today. We love you more than you will ever know!

(Now, I'm waiting to see what he thinks of the hilarious, insulting, anonymous card I sent. It's our tradition!)