A BRAND NEW BAMBINO
by dean krippaehne
Jan. 2008

I remember it like it was yesterday. The nervousness, the uncertainty, the excited anticipation and expectation. Gathering my wife's things, walking out of our small, dingy apartment, climbing into my beat up '73 Grand Prix, being barely able to get the key into the ignition let alone actually drive to the hospital.

I recall it all so clearly. Her contractions being seven minutes apart, then five, then a mere four minutes apart. I remember the machine that they hooked up to her to monitor the unborn baby's heart and the other machine that was hooked up to monitor her contractions. Now it was game time, show-time. We did all of the breathing stuff we had learned at the child birthing classes. We had practiced so often, read all of the books, we felt ready but nothing can really prepare you for the real deal. I can still hear how irritated with me my wife would get when I would look at the those paper readouts of her contractions on that gizmo that looks like a seismograph. She would get so mad when I would casually say to her after one subsided "well, that one wasn't as big as the last one."

I can still see the nurse saying to us "it's time" and then we were off. In an instant, in a blink, there we were rolling down the hall, both of us in our pastel, green and blue doctor gowns. Then arriving in the delivery room, the nurses, the machines, the ever-changing expressions on my wife's laboring face, the doctor in position. It was ready or not.....

Oh, and oh how could I ever forget that beautiful baby girl coming out and into our lives. Ten fingers, ten toes, crying, being washed and wrapped. Having her gently paced in my arms and getting to hold her close for the very first time. Caressing her, smiling and saying "hello," and then laying that wonderful infant child in the arms of my loving wife.

What a miracle, what a glorious, glorious moment - the birth of our first child.

It happened a few days before Christmas those many years ago, but I can still remember leaving the hospital, bringing our new little Christmas joy home all dressed in her cute one-piece bright red with white trim Christmas jammies - you know the kind that cover up those adorable feet and tiny fingers. And wanting to show her off to everyone and anyone who would look, listen and see this real life miracle of ours. We must have been absolutely obnoxious in all of our naive bliss. But we couldn’t help it - no one can. We just wanted to hold up and show off the most perfect child ever to the whole wide world. That's what a birth is like. You want to show off you new precious gift to the entire universe!

I wonder, this season of your life, has there been any new birth in you? Or is it same ole same ole. I'm not talking about the birth of a child. I'm talking about the birth of something else. Have you prepared or has life prepared in you truly a humble heart so that the Christ child can be born in you or can be born in maybe some new area of your life? Maybe for some of us using the word "born" is not the right word. Maybe for some of us it's more a matter of waking up again to the Christ child who was born a long time ago in our hearts but that we've maybe been neglecting. So tell me. Has there been any new birth in your heart lately?

I remember it so very, very well, like it was yesterday. My wife and I were so excited, so full of praise at the miracle of our precious new little baby. It was glorious. But..., (**laugh**)

That glorious day, we had no Idea. I'll say it again - we had NO idea! No idea at the magnitude of change and transformation that was about to take place in our lives. Change - that's probably not even a big enough word for it. With the birth of our child our life as we had known it was turned upside down forever.

So tell me. This season in your life is it the same ole same ole or has there been any new birth in you? If there has been a new birth in your heart, get ready. Get ready for big change. Your world is about to be turned upside down.

John 3:5
Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.

Romans 12:2
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Luke 4:18
"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed"