In the past 2 months things in our lives have gotten a bit crazy. I had 3 dentist appts ending in a "I've never seen roots like this before. You're ruining our tools" kind of root canal. I had an eye appt. I've seen a new Primary Care Physician cuz my old one was awful at best. We decided to buy a new car, so we did LOTS of research and looked at several cars. We finally found one we liked and we bought it. Driving it home the check engine light came on. You know where I'm going with that. Several people in our lives are dealing with health issues, loss of jobs and cars and we've even lost a few special people that were dear to us. They are now with Jesus. I've been taking 3 deep breaths, often. It does help.
I'm reminded of this season and how every year Christmas comes sooner. This year 2 weeks before Thanksgiving people were putting up Christmas lights, playing Christmas music and looking at Christmas displays in the stores. I started to wonder why every year it seems like people want to start the Christmas festivities early. I love Christmas. I love the traditions of Christmas. Even though mom and dad are gone and my season always seems a bit strange, I love the mystery of it all. I love the Christmas magic that comes to children this time of year. I love the feelings of security, love and simplicity. I think many people do and as this world becomes more stressful we long for simpler times. Christmas is a season that represents this feeling. And if we can have one more week of simple times, please let it come.
But that's not what Christmas was. When Joseph and Mary were traveling they were running for their lives. They were traveling far from home, on a camel. Imagine being 9 months pregnant and riding a camel. For real. My sister has a friend who rode a camel when she was 9 months pregnant. She had the baby that week. I guess that works. If there was one word that I could use to describe this season for Joseph and Mary it would be chaos. Fear would be a second word. I mean think about it…an angel sent from God comes and tells you that you are going to have God's son. After being freaked out a bit, you realize the honor that actually is. If that happened to me, I would be saving my money or pulling whatever connections I have to make sure that the SON OF GOD is born in an amazing place. I would want his first breath to be full of pure air with no toxins. I would want blue birds singing or at least the Tabernacle Choir. I would have the finest sheets money could buy. I would have the room tempeture at a perfect 72 degrees. I would have prophets and preachers and Spiritual leaders like Billy Graham to be there praying and praising as the Son of God takes his first look at this world up close and smiles.
Mary must have been struggling. She had a LONG camel ride to think about how she had the privilege out of all the women in the world to bear God's son and she didn't even have a home to have him in. There wasn't a castle. There were no fancy sheets. His first breath was mixed with cow dung and sheep's wool. Mary had to have been stressed thinking that she might have him on the streets. But when she smelled the stable, maybe she thought the street would've been a better idea. I don't know. It was all wrapped up a little in fear, exhaustion and messiness. But the Savior was born. And so we win. We hope. We live. We are redeemed. But I'm sure Mary was just hoping he made it through his first night. Promising him that she would take the best care of him as she possibly could. But reminding him that wouldn't be like Moses life filled with fine foods and palaces. But still, I'm sure she promised to give him the best she could. And she did.
Perfect timing. Perfect Season.
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