Greetings Everyone.

Braxton Hicks.

When my first son was about ready to come into the world, my wife began to go into labor. We rushed to the hospital. Got checked in. Went to our birthing room. Got ready for the change that was to come. After 12 hours the “Labor stopped” and we went home.

36 hours later, it began again. I got the call…we got in the car…we got to the hospital…we checked in and waited. One nurse told us to walk the hallways, that sometimes helped. Another nurse who saw us walking asked how we were doing and through conversation during one of the contractions were told, “If you can talk, it’s not a contraction. It’s Braxton Hicks.

Most men do not have a clue who Braxton or Hicks are. Almost all moms do.

The Cleveland Clinic tells us that

Braxton Hicks contractions are felt during pregnancy and can be mistaken for true labor contractions. Unlike true labor, Braxton Hicks are irregular in frequency, less intense and usually go away if you change positions. These uterine contractions are perfectly normal and might begin in your second or third trimester. They are your body’s way of getting ready for labor, but it doesn’t mean labor is coming.

The 3rd time we went to the hospital, the water had broken and the pain of contractions was augmented. It was the real deal. In a relatively few short hours Isaac came into the world. Hallelujah.

We have had some Braxton Hicks contractions during this pastoral interim period, especially over the past 6 months. First, we thought God had called a wonderful young pastor from Southern California to become the next pastor of FPC. That didn’t turn out too well. Braxton Hicks.

Then we had another young pastor come across our paths from a different denomination. Your PNC worked hard to attempt to make things work but it just didn’t happen. Seems not every pastor wants to be a Presbyterian minister. Braxton Hicks.