Despite all of the festivities, the cold weather and the copious amounts of food, Jason and I both are having a hard time believing it's Christmas. We have thoroughly enjoyed our time with friends and family, and seeing Charlie catch on to the gift and candy aspects of the holiday has been hilarious, but it just doesn't feel like Christmas. Maybe it's because we were so busy between Thanksgiving and Christmas or because we came to Kansas City so early in the month...I don't really know.
In an effort to get more into "the spirit" of Christmas, I have focused my Bible reading this week on the first couple chapters of both Matthew and Luke -- the accounts of Jesus' birth. As with most of us, I am very familiar with the history of Mary and Joseph and the angels and shepherds -- though careful reading does confirm my former pastor's assertion that the magi have no place in the nativity seen...they didn't show up for months or years.
Anyway, what has struck me most this week is Luke 2:19 when following the wonder of the shepherds "Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart." Despite the absolutely extraordinary circumstances of her pregnancy and the amazing person of her son, Mary was just a mom who adored her baby boy and wanted to remember every single second of his life.
I'm sure that she felt that time was going too quickly and Jesus was growing up too fast. She probably laughed when he took his first step and cried when he skinned his first knee. For the first time, it is clear to me just how "human" Jesus was -- even though he was God.
He was a little boy with a Mommy who adored him, before anyone else knew him and continued to adore him in ways no one else could, because she knew him better than anyone other than God. Amazing.
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