Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Merry Christmas







As I sit and think about what we celebrate this time of year, I get teary eyed thinking about how scared Mary and Joseph must have been. But especially Mary. I know how scared I was when I gave birth to my first child. And I did not have to travel on donkey to a town to be counted, and then to think of how her pregnancy started. I mean really, to have never to have been with a man, and then to be pregnant. And the the first time she felt him kick. I will never forget how that felt. It was amazing, and SOOO very strange too. I feel sorry for men, because they will never know the wonder of being pregnant. And I was safe and sound in a hospital with Doctors and nurses to help, and take care of me. And to be there if anything went wrong. For Mary to have to give birth in a manger with no sterile bed and instruments to bring her child into the world. But can you imagine how personal it would have been to have just her and her husband there to witness the miracle of the birth of Jesus. My VERY favorite Christmas song of all time is "Mary Did You Know". I often think about how she must have felt to have given birth to the Messiah, and what his life would entail. You know we all have dreams for our children, and hope that their life will turn out to be so great, and they will live a long and happy life. But to see our child be tortured and killed at 33 would be so devastating, that I am not sure most of us could take it. To have kissed his precious little head, and to have held him every day. To have taken care of him, and his needs. The thoughts just keep coming.

I know tomorrow that we will talk about Jesus, and how important He is to us, and what we are celebrating. But it will not mean as much as the presents they will get. But I know that if we keep talking to them, and reminding them, they will know His love, and know His life.

So, I hope that you all have a very Merry Christmas and a wonderfully safe New Year. May God bless you and keep you. Stay safe and blessed.