Before Jesus Was Born

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Happy Birthday, Charlene!

Hi, I’m Ray Notgrass. I get to be married to the most wonderful person in the whole wide world and writer of some of the best stuff on the Internet. With a little help from our son, John (actually a lot of help from him), I have sneaked into Charlene’s blog to write a tribute to her. Tomorrow is her birthday. It’s a special one, with a zero at the end, but I’ll let her decide if she wants to tell you what the number is.

If ever someone deserved a tribute on her birthday, it’s Charlene this year. She has been my helpmeet and more through all of the health journey I have been on this year. She has been patient, kind, hardworking, encouraging, sympathetic, understanding, and so much more. I couldn’t have asked for a better partner through all that I have endured.

The characteristics you see in her blog are what I see every day as her husband. She loves the Lord, she loves our family and other people, she is wise, and she is devoted to what is good and right. She’s the real thing. It does my heart good that so many of you see her as a friend, a mentor, and a counselor and have written words of encouragement and appreciation to her. I assure you that your messages mean a great deal to her–and to me, too.

I could go on, but I’ll stop with this. Charlene is the best person I know, and I owe her a debt of gratitude that I can never repay. I love you, Charlene. Happy Birthday!

Today is the first day of December. You may be starting an Advent calendar so that you and your family can count down the days to December 25, the day when many people through many centuries have remembered and celebrated the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ.

God has told us many things about what happened before Jesus was born. The Gospel of John goes all the way back to the very beginning, telling us:

In the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God.
He was in the beginning with God.
John 1:1-2

NASA image of earth, titled The Blue Marble*

John goes on to tell us in verses 3-5 of chapter one that:

• Through Jesus all things came into being.
• In Him was life.
• That life was the light of men.
• The light of Jesus shines in the darkness.
• The darkness did not comprehend Jesus’ light.

In verses 10-11, we learn that:

• Even though the world was made through Jesus, the world did not know Him.
• He came to His own, but they did not receive Him.

As is so obvious as we look around us, darkness still does not comprehend Jesus’ light, and though the world was made through Him, the world does not know Him. But, wow! Think about the really good, amazing, astounding news we learn next.

But as many as received Him,
to them He gave the right 
to become children of God,
even to those who believe in His name,
who were born, not of  blood
nor of the will of the flesh
nor of the will of man,
but of God.
John 1:12-13

The right to become children of God! This is the message of hope and joy that you get to share with your children as you walk through the day with them every single day. You can share it in small doses and big doses all day long every day.

Homeschooling requires sacrifices for sure, but just think about what it allows you to do every day.

For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you,
which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois
and your mother Eunice,
and I am sure that it is in you as well.
2 Timothy 1:5

 

*The Blue Marble image credit: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Image by Reto Stöckli (land surface, shallow water, clouds). Enhancements by Robert Simmon (ocean color, compositing, 3D globes, animation). Data and technical support: MODIS Land Group; MODIS Science Data Support Team; MODIS Atmosphere Group; MODIS Ocean Group Additional data: USGS EROS Data Center (topography); USGS Terrestrial Remote Sensing Flagstaff Field Center (Antarctica); Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (city lights).

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