A baby changed... everything!

Christmas Day, 2008.... 10:00 pm - All the food had been put away, the wrapping paper and boxes discarded, family had departed, and Frank and I had just settled in to watch the movie he had given me for Christmas.

I have heard it said so often... a phone call changes everything.  And it did.  Katie, on the other end, nearly 9 months pregnant with our first "grandboy", was scheduled for a C-section 5 days later.  "Mom, I think its time - we are headed to the hospital."  In a second all of our family sprung into action.  My job - the camera, and knowing that Chris and Katie had just been in movie, she would surely need a pillow.  Graciously they had asked that I be in the delivery room, so I was on the move.  We lived about 40 minutes from the hospital, so I was not waiting for anyone.  I jumped in my car and headed to the hospital.  Mollie and Kellie were right behind me in the second car.  Hmm... Frank and Clay certainly weren't going to miss this huge event, so they followed... yes, in the 3rd car.  Clay was 10 and concerned that Frank was nervous and needed comfort, so he proceeded to read the entire 2nd chapter of Luke on their trek while bringing up the rear of our parade.  What a sight we must have been!

At 11:35 pm as I watched the doctor slowly, meticulously scrub each finger on each hand, I quietly asked, if she thought this baby might be born before midnight.  She glanced up at the wall clock... and without even a thought, replied, "Absolutely!"

Caden Frank Gaither made his appearance at 11:46 pm December 25th - watching him come into the world was unexplainably overwhelming! 


We all headed back home somewhere around 2:30 am.  I sat in the den, quietly and contemplatively..  You can't attend a birth on Christmas Day especially that of your first grandson, and not have a time of emotional explosion!  How is it possible that my baby just delivered a baby? 

So I began to reminisce about that evening, about the day, about the year before, then the decade before... and then the day Katie was born... only 22 years ago.... just the other day!

Then I thought about Mary; it WAS Christmas night, after all.  Who was she, really?  A young Jewish girl... visited by an angel.  His first words to her were of greeting, a proclamation that she was favored by God.  She wondered about the visit, so the angel reminded her NOT to be afraid.  Then he told her she would have a son... NOW I would be afraid! 

Luke continues the story with Mary's visit to Elizabeth, and the glorious song Mary offered to the Lord in praise.  But my very favorite thoughts and record of Mary come a little later.  Jesus was born, the shepherds saw the star and visited Bethlehem, the Heavenly Host of angels sang...

Then... tucked into chapter 2, quietly, gently..."But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart."  The Amplified Bible adds that she "was keeping within herself all these things ... weighing and pondering them in her heart."

Oh sweet friends, please join me in challenging all of us to read, reread, and ponder these miraculous events surrounding our Savior.  Spend some time thinking, journaling, praying, listening, pondering what HIS birth truly means in your life.   Our hearts should be so unexplainably overwhelmed that we simply must share this good news of great joy - Share it with someone in whatever way HE leads...

We announced to many even in the middle of the night that our Caden had been born - that sweet baby changed our lives...

Christ is born!  That baby changes EVERYTHING...