For Unto Us

December 23, 2023

Our children, Leslie and Thomas, were both born on December 21st, three years apart. (There was obviously no planning on our part.) Leslie's actual due date was Christmas day, but Dr. Moffat said that he was not delivering on that day, so he induced labor on the 20th, and it took Leslie 36 hours to get here. With Thomas, we had the same doctor, same situation, but we started on the 21st and finished in 13 hours. According to calendars, the 21st is the shortest day of the year. I can attest that it did not feel that way to me.

With Chuck's bad health, he never expected to get married, and he definitely never thought he'd have children. When Dr. Moffat placed Leslie in Chuck's arms, he literally wept with joy. For unto him, a child was born.

On Thursday, when I was thinking about how we had tried to make Leslie's

and Thomas's birthdays special throughout the years (not an easy task this close to Christmas and celebrating both but trying to make them feel like individuals), I thought of how blessed I am to have both of these children. For unto me, are children born.

And of course, I could not forget how blessed all of humanity is by the birth of the Son of God. "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord" (Luke 2:11).  "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life" (Luke 3:16). I am grateful to God for His love and to Christ for his Atonement. May I live worthy of both.

And because of Christ, I can wish all of you a very Merry Christmas. Blessings of peace and love to you.