Christmas 2017

"but Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart"...  

This verse from Luke is one of my favorites and speaks to this Momma's heart, especially this time of year...

and especially because this Momma is a treasurer and a ponderer, living in a world with very little time for treasuring and pondering.

I am convinced that in this world of desires and answers, just a click away..

treasuring and pondering are a lost art.

I think about Mary, her quiet strength and unwavering trust, in a world that didn't yet know Jesus.

 I have always been fascinated by Mary.

As a child,I thought she was beautiful.

As a believer, I think her faith was beautiful.

I think about her Momma's heart as she lovingly gazed into the eyes of her little boy.

How much did she know?

I know the Lord is so gentle and patient with us as He leads us down His chosen path for our lives, not revealing too much too soon.

How much had He revealed to this young mother?

As she treasured up those first moments with her new precious baby, what was she pondering?

I know how I treasured up precious, fleeting moments with each of my children and pondered the gift that we had been given...  even at 2:00 a.m. feedings...

sometimes, especially at 2:00 a.m. feedings...

How much did she know?

Was she pondering the future of our Lord and Savior, the One who had been born to die?

Or was she simply treasuring up and pondering the beautiful face of her first born son?

It is difficult to wrap my heart around what she may have been feeling as she gazed into our Lord's eyes.

How much did she know?

This time of year, my heart often turns to Mary and that beautiful night when love was born...

and as we step back into this path of unknowns

I pray that I can be more like Mary...

her quiet strength and devoted faith...

saying yes to the Lord's plan for her life without hesitation, trusting in His ability to equip His "humble, servant girl". 

Facing what the world would regard as burdensome, with unwavering assurance, calling herself "blessed" and trusting in the One who had "done great things" for her.

So, I treasure and I ponder as another Christmas comes and goes...

as kids get bigger...

and our lives just a bit crazier.

I consider myself blessed...

not burdened...

as I step into our future with (mostly) unwavering assurance...

and trust in the One who has done great things for me.

This Christmas my heart lingered on moments past and memories made...

while anticipating those approaching moments and memories known only to the Lord as He gently and patiently guides us down this path He has chosen for us.

Who knows... 

maybe that path will include a pain free Christmas picture next year...

yeah...

I feel your pain buddy...

*grin*

Surely it will embrace another pair of candy coated, reindeer food making hands...

another Christmas tree designer...

another place at Christmas dinner...

another Christmas morning Cinnamon Roll..

another Christmas gift giver...

and recipient...

Next year, the decorations will remain the same...

as well as the craziness.

The traditions will not change...

and more than likely...

neither will the painful picture process...

*grin*

We will just add one more cooperative, smiling face to the pain...

I mean process!

*haha*

Next Christmas I will be treasuring up a year's worth of memories with our newest son and pondering how a year could have gone by so swiftly and yet seem so laden with dewy new moments and  experiences long overdue...

and I return to Mary and I pray that as I treasure and ponder, that I will also have the faith of one so full of quiet strength and unwavering trust.

Mary said, “I am the servant of the Lord. Let this happen to me as you say!” Then the angel went away.  Luke 1:38

Sometimes the things we are called to are scary and hard and are condemned by the world as foolish or burdensome as they completely change our "normal"...

but the Lord never changes...

and His "normal" is unlike anything this fallen world embraces.

Next year, that space in our Christmas picture that always seems lacking...

the one that every year, since the girls came home, someone always comments on...

will . be . filled.

Merry Christmas!