I loved her and spent time with her and visited her as often as I could for over 50 years…and I never knew her name. Well, at least not her full name. Mostly because I just called her “Grandma Pettit”! I was going through some papers the other day and there was an old envelope and it had my grandmother’s first name on it. I have no idea when or how I came to possess that envelope but I looked inside and it was my Dad’s Mom’s birth certificate! She was born in 1902 and I did her funeral in the year 2000. I read all the information that the State of Texas required for a birth certificate and I glanced at her name and it read “Stella Ray Maud Ingle” and she added “Pettit when she married my grandfather. I couldn’t help but think that all those years and even at her funeral I never heard much less used all her given name. I knew her as the one who loved us three kids and she was the one who prayed for us all our lives. I thought about her and then thought about another whose birthday we are going to celebrate here pretty soon. I’m sure that when my grandmother was born, each one of those names was important and meaningful. This Christmas we will celebrate the birth of another who was simply known as “Jesus”. An angel had appeared to both Mary and Joseph at different times and told them that this one born in such a miraculous way was to be given the name Jesus because he will save his people from their sins. I love my grandma but never did know the meaning of all those names. But I also love this Jesus of the Bible because I not only know the meaning of the name but have experienced the power of that name. I’m not good or deserving or anything special. But I know this Jesus who, by name, is declared the savior of people from their sins…because he did that for me. And for that I will be grateful for as long as “forever” is. God has
been really good to me. I got to know this Jesus and experience the power of his love and name. And then on top of all that I got to know the one I called “Grandma” and got to experience the power of that Jesus’s love through her life and love and laughter. So, celebrate well this Christmas with me and make sure you not only know the name Jesus, but the power and grace and love that it proclaims. Here’s our Bible verse for today…
Matthew 1:21 NLT And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”
Remember I’m praying for you…
PJ
been really good to me. I got to know this Jesus and experience the power of his love and name. And then on top of all that I got to know the one I called “Grandma” and got to experience the power of that Jesus’s love through her life and love and laughter. So, celebrate well this Christmas with me and make sure you not only know the name Jesus, but the power and grace and love that it proclaims. Here’s our Bible verse for today…
Matthew 1:21 NLT And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”
Remember I’m praying for you…
PJ