It’s a boy!

I recall sitting by a sun drenched window in the Bathurst Hospital maternity ward on a cold June morning.  I held my first born son close.  It seems outrageous, but I felt like I was the only person to have ever experienced this.  Apparently it wasn’t uncommon.  Yet I felt unique.

We named him Steven.  With a brother with the same name, as well as some excellent friends, this name wasn’t unique either.  However, the child was.  Still is.

A mischievous part of me pictures Joseph leaping with joy and running out of the stable crying out, “It’s a boy!”  There’s a handful of people gathered around, who don’t really want to be in Bethlehem for a silly census anyway, saying something like, “Nice.  But heaps of people have boys.”

Still jiggling, Joseph exclaims with a huge grin, “We’ve named him Jesus!”  An underwhelmed woman replies, “That is a nice name.  ‘Jesus’ is popular in this part of the world.”

Mary walks out with a child wrapped in swaddling cloths, “He’s the son of God.”

That’s unique.  I guess that had never happened before.  And I guess it will never again.  My prayer is your Christmas is filled with love and peace.  Nope.  Not necessarily unique.  But a wonderful way to celebrate the birth of Jesus, the one and only Christ.

Joy to the world!