A Child is Born

Mary and Joseph received the astounding news about the arrival of their child by way of the angel Gabriel.  Art and I received the news about the arrival of our grandchild one Sunday afternoon by way of a FaceTime call from our daughter, Anna-Faith, and her husband, Keith. I was so distracted by the flashing blue lights of a police car down the street that I could hardly pay attention when they were trying to tell me the good news. Then, they got my undivided mind when I realized it was no joke!
Neither Mary nor Joseph was prepared to greet their baby in their strict Jewish society because they were unmarried! Who would believe their story of God as father?  Fortunately, Anna-Faith and Keith did not have those problems, but to say we were all surprised is an understatement. Their youngest child was an eight-year-old boy, who lived and breathed soccer.  What would he think of a tiny, helpless child entering his world of games and unbridled energy?
His older sisters, Adeline and Fiona, were more excited and hoping for a girl. Unlike Mary and Joseph, who knew from the beginning that their child would be a son, the Messiah come to save the world from sins, Anna-Faith and Keith couldn’t know the sex of their sweet unexpected treasure until several months into their pregnancy.
It was summer, and all the Hall siblings gathered from their far-away homes to enjoy a beach holiday and to participate in the big “reveal” party we planned at Centennial Park, in Wildwood Crest, at the bandstand.  We had balloons, noisemakers and lots of streamers waiting for the moment to know if it would be pink or blue confetti raining down from a balloon broken on the count of three. A girl! How exciting, because the last crop of grandchildren had all been male, so we were ready to think pink.
Mary and Joseph awaited the birth of Jesus in an atmosphere of shame. Anna-Faith awaited with joy and support from all her community and family.  Friends from afar and near went to a shower.  It was a time of celebration and renewing old friendships.
Jesus was given his name by Gabriel, who said, “You will conceive and give birth to a son and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.”  (Luke 1:31-32).  How easy that was, no questions, no months of agonizing over just the right name.
On the other hand, Anna-Faith and Keith, along with the whole Hall clan, had many suggestions and hard campaigning for their “perfect” choice.  What a lot of fun and nonsense; we had given much unasked-for advice. Of course, the parents listened and kept their counsel until they proclaimed, “We will call her Cora, and the middle name will be announced when she is born.” We Halls have a long history of double first names, and multiple middle names, so that was a nice surprise waiting for the birthday.
Mary and Joseph, as the day of the birth approached, made an arduous journey from their hometown of Nazareth to Bethlehem, because a census was being taken. There, as we all know, Jesus was born in a stable. Cora, on the other hand, was born a short ride from her home, with every attention from medical personnel for her and her mother‘s well-being. Cora also will be counted in a census this year.     
 Now, we know she is Cora Noelle, a beautiful name alluding to the season and remembering another little girl who lives always and forever in heaven. My prayer for this 12th grandchild of ours is that she, like the Savior, who was born on Christmas Day, will “grow in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man.”
Welcome to our family, and Merry Christmas to Cora Noelle and to all of Cape May County.