FIRST GLIMPSE: unexpected arrivals Eric Thomsen is the managing editor of ONE Magazine. Send comments and observations about ONE to editor@nafwb.org.

“Eric, Eric, wake up!”

The urgency in my wife’s voice (not to mention her fists pounding my shoulders and back) gradually invades my Nyquil-induced coma.

“The baby’s coming.”

The words strike like a lightning bolt. Throwing back the covers, I leap from the bed, shake the cobwebs from my befuddled brain, and declare at the top of my lungs, “I’ll go iron a shirt.”

The look on her face stops me in my tracks. Maybe I should have shaken the cobwebs a little harder.

“I’ll get the keys.”

I arrive at the hospital very wrinkled. So does my new daughter—a full two weeks ahead of schedule…

Unexpected arrival.

“My Mom’s at the airport.”

“What?”

“Mom’s at the airport.”

“Your mom?”

“Whose Mom do you think I’m talking about?”

“I thought she was coming in at 7:30.”

“She did.”

I glance at the clock.

“Oh no.”

“Yes, you were supposed to pick her up at 7:30 a.m. not p.m.”

“Oh no.”

“Oh yes.”

“Is she mad?”

“You’ll have to ask her…”

Unexpected arrival.

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, for the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God. I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; one shall be taken, and the other shall be left. Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left…

Unexpected arrival.

(Scripture adapted from Luke 17:33-35; 1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17; 2 Peter 3:10, KJV)