Your first thought upon reading the title probably was "what kind of creepy crawly thing is he writing about today?" But, why does it have to be "a creepy crawly thing"? Doesn't anything living have some kind of movement associated with it? Many times that's how we can tell if something is alive or dead. We see a frog on the sidewalk and what do we do? We nudge it with our foot to see if it moves. Yes, I know that could be considered a creepy crawly thing, but again movement shows that something is alive.

OK, what was wiggling all over? Or better yet, in this case, who was wiggling all over. The "who" was our new grandchild, somewhere around 10-12 weeks old, in the womb, and wiggling all over.

How do we know this you might ask? Our daughter-in-law went to the doctor and they preformed an ultrasound. Still too early to see the important details, but there was a beating heart and movement of its little, still not completely formed body; lots of movement, she reported, "The baby was wiggling all over".

It's beyond my comprehension that some folks can say that there is no real life while the baby is still in the womb or that it is not a human being. The baby is living. His or her heart is beating. Studies have shown that the unborn child can feel pain and respond to outside stimulus. Our grandchild is alive, whether it is ready to be born yet or not.

God said of Jeremiah, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations" (Jeremiah 1:5 TNIV).

Especially at this time of year, we remember the words said about Jesus long before Mary could feel his presence in her body:

Human life and personality begin in the womb!

... an angel of the Lord appeared to him [Joseph] in a dream and said, "Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins." (Matthew 1:20-21)

But let's especially remember the words God gave us to say about ourselves in the Old Testament songbook:

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. (Psalm 139:13-16)

God's word emphasizes that human life and personality begin in the womb. God's purpose for us begins even before that!

My wife, Melody, is excited! Next month she gets to go with our daughter-in-law to the next ultrasound and see her grandchild. She won't get to hold it for another 7 months or so, but it is still her grandchild and she is rejoicing at the life that is growing and wiggling all over. Yep, that's a sign of good, and interesting, things to come as we deal with "LIFE" and all of its surprises and blessings.