December 5

While I haven’t given birth to a son, I have given birth to two daughters — one of whom chose both her and her sister’s names all on her own. Right after Genevieve was born, the doctors laid her on my chest. Mike and I ooooh’ed and ahhh’ed, as new parents do, and then I asked her a question. “Are you Josephine Alice Margle?” I queried, testing out the middle name we’d chosen paired with one of our top two first names. As you might guess, being a literal newborn baby, she didn’t do anything.

So I asked a follow-up question: “Are you Genevieve Alice Margle?” And wouldn’t you know, this tiny minutes-old baby picked up her head and looked me straight in the eye, in response to what was clearly meant to be HER name. I hope I’ll never forget that moment, looking into her squished little face and dark, serious marble eyes — to me, they contained the universe. Past, present, and future; her potential and mine; our family’s entire story wrapped up in one infinite glance.

In this verse of Luke’s Christmas story, Mary is told the name of her prophesied son has been chosen for her — delivered by an angel, no less! And she’s instructed to “Look!” While she takes this life-altering news in stride as God’s willing servant, I like to imagine she’ll have another mind-blowing moment the first time she beholds her new baby’s face in that Bethlehem manger: The whole universe come to greet us in his eyes, brought down from heaven for her and everyone past, present, and future. The world’s entire story, in one infinite glance, taking the name pre-ordained for him: Jesus.

Prayer: Lord, help us look tiny baby Jesus right in the eye this Christmas season, realizing once again that the power he brought into the world two thousand years ago is with us still today, if we accept him into our lives just as Mary did: willingly, attentively, faithfully.