Christmas

I have to say, the Christmas is my favorite holiday. I know a lot of other people say that, but for me it really is. It has nothing to do with the presents either - I love our Christmas tree because of all the ornaments on it. So many of them represent some special memory. We have so many family traditions, ones from when I was growing up as well as new ones my husband and I have started. I love Christmas the most because it is just the begining of the Greatest Story Ever Told....

I tend to be very reflective during the Christmas season too, and the past week I have thought a lot about Mary. Historically speaking, she was a 14 (or so) year old virgin, engaged to a man and pregnant. And it wasn't her fiance's child. Sometimes I think about this and it blows my mind. At 30 I am not sure I could handle having a baby, and at 14 she was ready to raise the Son of God. I have read some of the scriptures surrounding this as well you see her spreading the news and following her husband, but you don't see her freaking out. I would be, my fiance would have had to have me committed to a mental health facility had I received messages from God sent by angels while we were engaged.
What you see from Mary is Peace - she trusted God and he provided.

I have thought about the Christmas story as well, and how Jesus was born and placed in a manger. I often wonder if the Inn Keeper would have had room had he known that GOD was about to come to earth, and he sent them to the stable. I would like to be indignent about this, who would not make room for an obviously about to give birth woman no matter who's child she had. But I can't. It would be hypocritical of me to do so, as how many times have I refused to make room in my life for God. And I know full well who He is and what he has done.

Sometimes I wonder as well what Jesus thought about being born here on earth. I think part of the reason He was always at peace was because He knew the whole story, He knew how it would end - and He knew where He would be when it was all over. I think that should tell us something, He knew what was waiting on the other side....and how much better it was than this.