I was honored to be a guest writer on Mary Demuth’s thin place side.
She featured my story about Mary my sister
there is so much more that could be written about her and her story
this is just a beginning of the journey from death to life.
She is a walking miracle and my sister.
click here to read the post:
http://www.marydemuth.com/?p=7482
The other thing I wonder about sometimes
in the Christmas story.
Mary was so young and Joseph too
did they worry about what it would mean for them
to have a special child?
This was a child who was given to them
by divine appointment
by an angel announcing it.
She didn’t read the news on a stick with a plus or minus
like someone would find out now.
She was told… don’t be afraid
you are with Child.
Did she have morning sickness and fatigue
just like other new mom’s?
What was it like to feel the movement of the
‘Holy Child’ within her?
What was she thinking
as she watched her roundness grow
did Joseph get excited or was he worried?
So much to think about
the Bible said ‘she kept it all near her heart’.
Wouldn’t we all?
So much to deal with
so much to handle
physically
and emotionally.
Mary was just like other new moms who are expecting
only her child was to be different.
Divine appointment
Divine assignment.
Can you even imagine?
One week you are just a ‘young person’
the next week you are met with an angel
telling you
about a life changing moment.
Your life changing moment forever.
That you are to be the mother of the Holy Saviour
who would save not only the world
but yourself too.
I wonder…so much…
can you wonder with me?
I often wonder
did Mary and Joseph talk about the angels who told them
about the baby arriving?
Wouldn’t that be something special to share with each other?
How did it appear to you Joseph
and how did it appear to you Mary?
What did you feel or think?
Were you scared?
After all she was very young in her teens and he was just as unprepared.
Also I wonder did they know each other and were they friends before or
were they given the heavenly order
to become married then to get to know each other.
The other thing I wonder about
is if they ever talked about how Joseph saved her life.
For to be with child and unmarried Mary could have been stoned.
She knew the consequences and yet she said ‘I choose’.
I accept.
I will be obedient.
Joseph also knew that as he took her for his wife he was not only being obedient when he didn’t fully understand it all. He knew he had to do follow through for the angel told him to do it.
There was no discussion.
The angel said:
Joseph… take Mary to be your wife.
There were so many questions that could have come between the two of them.
So many worries and fears.
I often wonder
what they were thinking in the quiet of the night.
Do you often wonder?
Advent has begun.
The remembering
is moving into a place in our minds and our activities.
We plan our decorations and our shopping and baking.
Oh can we plan a spiritual time too?
I so want to make it a spiritual season
not just filled with packages and stuff that most of us don’t really need.
Grandma will do fun special things for the children
but I want more than anything for them to know
that the season is not about more stuff.
It is about the story.
Matthew 1:18-24
The story of a young couple given a Divine order.
The story of a young couple choosing to be obedient.
Even when they didn’t really know what that meant
or what it would cost them.
The story of a young girl chosen to be a mom
the mom….of a saviour.
Her saviour and ours.
What did she feel like?
What did she think?
When the angel appeared and said to her ‘fear not.’
It would take your breath away.
Fear not… Mary Fear not…
I am standing in the presence of an angel
and I am told to Fear not?
Mary could have said that or at least thought it.
How can I not question
for I am pure of body and heart.
How did she do it and how did they both sleep at night
knowing there would be a son born to them.
I would toss and turn and be forever restless.
Perhaps since she was carrying the saviour of the world
she had an intense peace
‘that passes all understanding-deep within her heart.’
Perhaps as she sat with Joseph and whispered to him,
as he held her shaking hand…
“I am scared, I don’t understand it all but I choose… I choose…
Joseph choose with me…stay with me so we can see…
what the angels have told us.”
Oh what a moment between them.
The choice of obedience and trust.
What a precious little couple…
We sing, “Oh little town of Bethlehem and We three kings of Orient are.”
We sing, “Away in the manger and O Holy Night.”
But can we grasp the HOLY MOMENTS of the passage of time
when it began?
Where everything around them anticipated the birth of a special baby.
The moment when the stillness of the night and the light of the stars were so bright.
The moment and reflection of a scared girl becoming a mom
and a scared dad holding an infant
SO full of power
and yet so full of innocence
as it all began.
They were young.
They were beginning a life full of such uncertainties and yet
they loved the child just as we would love our newborns.
I hold my two month old grandson and I see how precious
how miraculous
how innocent
he is.
And this baby in the manger
was just like my precious grandson.
The difference…
When she held his tiny warm body
she held the SON Immanuel God with us.
Advent is here
may we never forget the journey to the manger
along the path leading to the story.
Lord Jesus Help us to remember
The most important story of all time.
Your story…
O Holy Night…
may we
fall on our knees and praise you.
Someone at our church lost her husband the day before Thanksgiving.
How does one deal with that?
He had been on a heart transplant list for four months.
Can you imagine?
four months of waiting…
waiting…
waiting…
for a heart to be available.
It is hard to wait ….
to question …
can you live longer…
will they find a match for you…
If their heart is good
then it takes a fast acting team to do the surgery and implant the heart into a chest waiting.
He didn’t get a heart.
He rested and waited
for 4 months
and no heart was there to bring life
His body weakened and he could wait no longer.
God has a reason.
God has a purpose for the wait and the heart ache and the final hours.
We won’t ever understand it.
We won’t ever know why some live and some don’t.
We just need to remember this little family now with our prayers.
Can you pray with me?
He left behind a wife and two sons, ages 8 and 4.
Thank you for being with her God,
Give her strength and stamina to press forward
in the days and months to come.
Help her now to rest in your powerful wonderful
love. Help her in her sorrow. Help her in her weakness.
For we give her to you as a child of yours who needs your
arms to hold her.
She needs a hug…
Thank you for your promise that you will not ever leave us.
Bring comfort to her … bring peace to her…
Give her rest
through your powerful name ~
Amen
jumping tandem: The Part Of Thanksgiving We Can’t Skip Over: “Without the pause before the thanks, it’s just a habit. A bunch of words tied loosely to small scraps of tradition. Sometimes, I think some…”
This is the blog I was quoting from I hope it is ok to share it… an awesome reminder for us to slow down and pause.
(Click onto the writing in purple or the first line).
On this Thanksgiving day may we be thankful and full of prayer.
Simplicity
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