Camp: Grandchild's birth inspires hopefulness

Life transitions, such as birth, are evidence the creation of the world continues. My wife and I recently became grandparents for the first time. Our son and his wife gave birth to their first baby, Lily.

Births are miraculous. From tiny sperm and ovum in just nine months a fabulous creature is formed, and continues forming from baby to toddler, child to teen, young adult to middle adult, and older adult.

I watch young children play and talk, and I am amazed at how they have learned in a few short years to do the extremely complicated tasks of walking, using hands, talking, remembering language and other symbols, having and expressing feelings.

Lily's birth reminds me of the transitions in our lives. Nothing is the same from moment to moment, consequently we are people of great change. Our bodies develop in stages, our families evolve, and our nation, culture and world progress. Technology revolutionizes itself. New information emerges.

The Scriptures portray a God of change, always calling people into the new and into adventure, out of limitations into possibilities. People of fear are hostile to evolving changes; people of faith move forward in trust and hope.

Lily, and others of her generation, will experience a world we cannot even imagine. I want to describe to her the 1949 Ford I drove in high school (it was 15 years old!) while she carries me in whatever mode of transportation has developed by the time she is the driver. I can tell her about racial integration in high schools while she introduces me to her global community