Isaiah 9:6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

No birth has meant so much to so many for so long.

Worthy are you Lord to be honored.

Why this message today?

I woke up and forgot it was my birthday today.

I was born August 15th, 1947, in my grandmother Packard’s bed, on my grandfather’s farm, in Willimantic, Maine. I was delivered by Dr. Paul Taylor. I was a blue baby with my cord wrapped around my neck. He handed me to my Aunt Jean who is the only person who ever told me about my birth because she was traumatized by the event.

One person in my sphere remembered by birth.

In truth I am not worthy of being remembered when I think about birthdays.

I didn’t even remember it myself.

This is my gift to myself, giving myself a day off from presenting the gospel as I have every day since January 1, 2014.

But I will not forget to remember the only birthday that changed the world for the better.

Born in a manger, alone with His mother and foster father, His birth was even more humble than my own. And that was the end of the similarities between our births.

I did get something He did not. I got to be born again, because His life matters.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow!