At the Chancey house, we're

in the middle of our annual spring birthday run.

My birthday falls March 15,

my daughter Ruth's is March 30, and my daughter Rachel's is April 15.

Three birthday cakes in a month!

Depending on the quirk of the

calendar, often the girls' birthdays fall on Easter. Fifteen years ago,

Ruth gave us an Easter we'll never forget.

We were serving our first pastorate

after seminary in the Indianapolis suburb of Carmel. We rented for a few

months before making an offer on our first home.

I did my thirty-minute part

in the community Good Friday service, then rushed downtown with the real

estate agent to close on the house and sign our life away. We were the

proud parents of two preschool girls, were about two weeks away from the

birth of our third child, were excited about our first church, and had

just bought our first home. It was a happy time.

Friday night we packed late

into the night and then fell into bed to rest up for the big move the

next day. Early Saturday morning, church members showed up with willing

backs and a U-Haul truck and we began our all-day ordeal.

Back and forth we went, loading

and unloading until the move was completed late in the afternoon. Boxes

awaited unpacking, but we'd get to that little by little in the days ahead.

At 11:15 on the night before

Easter, the biggest preaching day of the church year, I glanced over my

sermon notes and fell into bed exhausted. Thirty minutes later, my eight-and-a-half-month

pregnant wife woke me up and said, "We've got to get to the hospital.

This baby's coming," or something to that affect.

Adrenaline kicked in and we

sprang into action. We knew no neighbors, had no telephone connected and

had to think fast about getting a baby sitter for our two sleeping preschoolers.

I jumped into some clothes

and drove about two miles to a church member's house and rang the doorbell.

I felt like the man knocking on his neighbor's door at midnight in the

story Jesus told. The teenage daughter answered.

I said, "you're not going

to believe this, but Amy's water broke and we've got to get to the hospital.

Can I use your phone and can you come over and stay with the girls?"

I reached Dr. Moore and had

an unbelievable conversation.

"Dr. Moore, this is David

Chancey. My wife's water just broke and we're on the way to the hospital.

We'll see you there."

"Well, let me speak to

her." These doctors never think the husbands know what they're talking

about.

"Dr. Moore, she's not

here. I'm not at my house. We just moved into our new house today and

our telephone is not hooked up yet. She can't speak to you."

"But I'd really like to

speak to your wife to see what's going on."

"Dr. Moore, my wife is

an R.N. We've had two babies already. She's not here, so she can't speak

to you, but her water broke and we're going to the hospital."

I think he was aggravated about

possibly missing the Easter bunny at his house, but he reluctantly agreed

to meet us.

We got our daughters taken

care of, and arrived at St. Vincent's Hospital. Ruth was born several

hours later and we celebrated the safe arrival of our Easter baby. Dr.

Moore did the delivery and made it home in plenty of time to see his kids

find their Easter baskets.

At 6 a.m. I decided to leave

so I could get home in time to see the girls get up on Easter morning

and also catch my breath before I had to be at church. Only, my car wouldn't

start. I had to call a church member to come pick me up at the hospital,

then had to scrounge up a ride to church.

I got to church and greeted

well-rested members who were shocked at what we had been up to all night

after moving all day Saturday. News spread like wild fire that we had

a baby Ruth who was born Easter morning. I baptized five people, preached

the Easter message, and new members joined our church. It was a great

day!

Whenever it falls, whether

March 30 or April 15, Easter reminds us to celebrate the gift of life,

and especially the new life that is available to each of us through the

risen Savior, Jesus Christ.

Dr. David L. Chancey is

pastor of McDonough Road Baptist Church in Fayetteville. The McDonough

Road Baptist family cordially invites you to join them this Sunday for

Bible study at 9:45 a.m. and worship at 10:55 a.m. and 6 p.m.