The onset of a chronic disease tears at the fiber of a family.  Steve had always been the principal breadwinner. We were forced to trade places, and I wasn’t prepared to enter the corporate world. Before marriage, I had dropped out of three colleges.  Steve’s salary was sufficient for me to stay home with our children. Now, the hard boot of MS was kicking me back to school. Read More→

In the post entitled, “The Invader” my husband, Steve Massey was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. The Steve Series is continued this week:*

Steve sat across from the doctor’s desk in a return visit after his diagnosis was made.

“Dr. Riley,* I’m falling when I walk into the businesses I call on in my job. I have to stop when I’m driving, because I get so tired.”

“You’ll just have to pace yourself and work out your problems with your employer. You can still work,” the doctor insisted.

His inability to complete job related math calculations spurred Steve to take action even without a doctor’s letter.  We began our quest for disability payments, fighting the system at every turn. Read More→

I was born a city girl and knew nothing of farms, gardens, and animals except from television and books.  I had two dogs while growing up, but after childhood never really cared about the animal kingdom. I had no idea I was marrying a man who had such a heart for animals and people in trouble. Read More→

She shook the package tagged with her name.  She turned to her brother, “Mike this has to be clothes.” “Don’t know, Mom didn’t take me shopping for that one.”  Mike squeezed and shook the secret treasures.  It was two weeks before Christmas and our two teenagers were home alone. Read More→

“If it’s a girl, we’ll name her Joy, if it’s a boy we’ll name him Stephen, but I like the name Faith for a girl, we really don’t know yet, Mom.”  My daughter’s voice reflected the dilemma of new parents, what do we name the baby?  She didn’t want to know its gender, but my son-in-law found out and leaked the news to me.  I knew the baby would be Stephen, but my lips were sealed.

We’re left to imagine whether Joseph told any of his relatives about his encounter with an angel before the birth of Jesus. He had so many of his own doubts at first, I imagine he kept quiet.  His extended family might have asked, “Why are you calling Him Jesus?  Whose side of the family are you naming Him after?” Picture their surprise to have the Messiah within their own family tree. The awe and wonder of raising the Savior of heaven and earth surely surrounded Mary and Joseph.

What then shall we call this Child?  He will be called Immanuel, “God with us,” a name for all sides of earth’s family.

Jesus, Name above all names!

Beautiful Savior, glorious Lord!

Immanuel, God is with us!

Blessed Redeemer, Living Word!

–Naida Hearn

1974

In my hometown church of Calvary Moravian, the Christmas Pageant was a huge event. There were auditions for Mary, the Wise Men, and the Shepherds. Every girl wanted to wear the satin costumes of the angel choir. Read More→

Long ago, the journey of a young couple took them on a dusty road.  They didn’t travel by automobile and there were no stores to buy clothes for their newborn baby. There were no gas stations because their donkey ran on hay and water. Obediently, they trusted God’s direction without a global positioning system. Read More→