Mary Did You Know?

Posted on December 21, 2011 by Mom of 4

This post from 2010 started getting a lot of hits mid November. I have no idea how it was found or how it got so much traffic, but I went with it and decided to repost it again this year! 🙂

One Family, One Journey. One Child who would change the world forever.

photo credit

Have you seen the movie: The Nativity Story?

It was so good for me to emotionally go on that journey with Mary & Joseph. It made things very real to me.

I mean, can you imagine how difficult it was for Mary, an unwed teen, to be scoffed by her friends who think she’s nuts, when she says she has never been with a man, but is pregnant anyways? Or how about having to tell her parents the big news: Did she wait until she was showing, or tell them right away?

How about feeling the threat of DEATH by stoning looming over her head, should Joseph choose to file charges against her?! I wonder, since her parents choose Joseph as her betrothed, does she even know him that well at this point?

Or love him?

Does she know enough about him to think he’ll believe her story? How scary to not know what will happen next!

When the angel explained that the child within Mary was indeed conceived by the Holy Spirit, that his name would be Jesus and that he was the Messiah, God with us, did he freak out!? Did he sit in wonder and awe? Don’t you think he lay awake the rest of the night, thinking of what his life with Mary was going to be like?

Parents of THE MESSIAH?

That is some heavy thinking for the middle of the night! He willingly took Mary to be his wife, knowing they were being looked down upon in their town. Maybe this noble quality is one of the reasons God chose Joseph to be the earthly father of Jesus.

And later, as they are married and traveling to Bethlehem, I was shocked to see footage of Joseph’s bloody, calloused feet. I had never thought of this before, but why wouldn’t they be? They walked the approximately 60-90 miles to Bethlehem, where the census was taken.

How about going into labor in a town far away from her mother and all things familiar? A newly married young woman, who had never been intimate with a man, giving birth to her first child, who also just happens to be the Savior of the world!!!!

Do you remember that feeling, as you realized you were about to give birth to your first-born? I mean actually bring them into the world. Those emotions you felt, as you anticipated, yet dreaded the labor part. Did sweet Mary cry for her momma? Did she squeeze Joseph’s hand as hard as she could as she contracted? Was he a good coach? Did she trust him to help safely deliver this precious child in a stable, or was she afraid even though the angel said, “fear not”?

photo credit

Oh, the joy she must have felt, as she lifted that precious child in her arms, counted his ten tiny fingers and toes, and marveled at all that had just occurred.

How overwhelmed she must have been, as she looked around their humble dwelling, wondering what she had to offer the King of Kings?

Wondering about this babe, who would grow into a toddler full of questions: When would they know, that he knew, He was the King of Kings? A look in his eye? The words from his mouth? Did she wonder what kind of challenges that would create?

And what about when all those stinky Shepherds showed up? Exhausted and emotional, what was she feeling as they came and touched her new baby? You know how protective first time moms are! Did she wish she could have them wash up first?

As the shepherds left, they were still praising and glorifying God, but sweet Mary kept quiet, treasuring their words and pondering them in her heart. Don’t you think at that moment, it must have been beyond her ability to grasp, that sleeping in her arms—the precious child she had just worked so hard to bring into the world—was the Savior of the World. Wow!

How real everything becomes, as you watch in this movie, and see those precious little lives lost, as Herod in fear of the newborn King, commands all the baby boys under the age of 2 to be killed. Oh, the heartache of those mothers, screaming as their baby sons were ripped from their arms and slain, I just wept and wept. Such mourning happened in those towns in the months to follow, as broken-hearted mothers put back the pieces of their shattered lives.

I have to wonder, as Mary and Joseph were told by the angel to flee in the night to safety, how old was Jesus at the time? A little boy full of questions? Or still a newborn babe? Did Mary’s pumping adrenaline kick in? Did those ‘mother bear’ instincts get her through? Or was she paralyzed with fear, and have to be prompted by Joseph to, “Stop crying and pack!” so they could get going? How did she manage? I can’t imagine what she was feeling, still in a foreign land, far from home, now fleeing to Egypt to be refugees there!! And wait, Mary’s journey isn’t done yet, still later, another dream tells them to return back home, FINALLY! Who knows how many years later this occurred?! What a STRONG woman!

Watching this movie was eye-opening to say the least! It is my hope, that this Christmas, you will celebrate the humble beginnings of our Lord and King. and remember, just how real this was to a newlywed couple in Bethlehem, who experienced a life changing, WORLD changing moment…..as they held our Lord and Savior in their arms and kissed his sweet head.

May Jesus be real to you today, as you prepare to celebrate His birth.

Mary Did You Know

[Originally written by Mark Lowry and Buddy Greene]

Mary, did you know that your Baby Boy would one day walk on water?
Mary, did you know that your Baby Boy would save our sons and daughters?
Did you know that your Baby Boy has come to make you new?
This Child that you delivered will soon deliver you.

Mary, did you know that your Baby Boy will give sight to a blind man?
Mary, did you know that your Baby Boy will calm the storm with His hand?
Did you know that your Baby Boy has walked where angels trod?
When you kiss your little Baby you kissed the face of God?

The blind will see.
The deaf will hear.
The dead will live again.
The lame will leap.
The dumb will speak
The praises of The Lamb.

Mary, did you know that your Baby Boy is Lord of all creation?
Mary, did you know that your Baby Boy would one day rule the nations?
Did you know that your Baby Boy is heaven’s perfect Lamb?
The sleeping Child you’re holding is the Great, I Am.

Dear Abby,

Posted on December 20, 2011 by Mom of 4

Dear Abby,

Everything in my life is going wrong! What seemed like the ideal dream has become an unending nightmare. Only a few weeks ago everything seemed perfect: I had just graduated from school with honors. My girlfriend and I got engaged the same day my father made me a full partner in his construction business. I was so pumped . . . and definitely in love. Life seemed complete. Even my faith was at an all‑time high.

It all started falling apart one Friday when my fiancée met me after work. She looked like something was wrong . . . but I couldn’t get her to talk about it. So we went to a basketball game that evening, but my head wasn’t in it. My imagination was running wild.

Didn’t she love me anymore? Did she want to call off the wedding? Did she have cancer?

The questions kept coming. I was a nervous wreck. Afterward, we went out for dessert. She didn’t say anything for a long time. Finally, she whispered the words I hadn’t even dared to think:

“I’m pregnant!”

Then she burst into tears. I was stunned.

“You? But we haven’t even . . .”

A wave of nausea hit me as I realized the horrible truth: Since it wasn’t me, it had to be someone else.

“Who was he?” I forced myself to ask. I couldn’t decide if I really wanted to know.

She looked down, “I can’t tell you,” she said, “You wouldn’t understand. I just want you to know I still love you and want to be your wife!”

“If you loved me you wouldn’t be in the condition you’re in,” I snapped.

I couldn’t help seeing the love in that face I’d come to cherish. Abby, I knew I still loved her with my heart, that’s why I hurt so much. How could I continue to love someone who slept around? I was too shocked to say anything the rest of the evening. I paid the bill, took her home, and drove away.

Although I’ve never been very emotional, I cried myself to sleep. I woke up early the next morning angry & full of questions.

How could she do this to me? Didn’t she love me? Hadn’t we promised to save ourselves for each other? Who was he? How long had they been sleeping together? How could they manage to see each other without me even suspecting? Didn’t she believe in the standard God had set for relationships?

I went all week without seeing or calling her. I just couldn’t. My heart ached. My stomach burned. My head pounded nonstop. Then she showed up today just as I was closing shop.

“I’ve made arrangements to leave town for a while,” she said. “I think it’s best for you & me & for our families. I’ll be staying at my cousin’s place downstate.”

I must have been frowning because she added, “Don’t worry, my love, I’ll be in good hands.”

She handed me a piece of paper with a phone number where I could reach her & then left. I haven’t heard from her since, and that was 3 months ago.

Abby, what should I do now? I can’t imagine going ahead with the engagement. My trust in her has been destroyed. Still, the thought of walking away leaves me even more confused. The shame and embarrassment of being pregnant and not married in our small town would make her the target of endless harassment.

On the other hand, if I stand by her & pretend that the child is mine, I’d destroy my reputation . . . something I don’t think I’m willing to risk to cover her selfish mistake.

My gut feeling is to break off the engagement & try to forget what happened. I care too much for her to make an ugly scene. Maybe I could tell our friends that it was my idea to break up & she had to get out-of-town to escape the pain of my decision?

Abby, I want to do the right thing. But I just can’t decide. Should I stay with her regardless of what others think? Or should I quietly break off the engagement and try to get on with my life?

Signed,

A Devastated Boyfriend

And then came the reply:

Dear Devastated Boyfriend,

Don’t be afraid to take Mary as your wife. What’s conceived in her is from Holy Spirit, Christ is in her. You’ll see. Just open the door of your heart to Mary, you’ll begin to experience the wonder of Christ’s presence firsthand.

—————————————————————————————————————————

Do you ever really stop to think about Mary as a real person?! I real teenager with a REAL dilemma on her hands. This “Dear Abby” letter was shared Sunday at church by our pastor, and I knew I had to pass it on. I brought everything home for me.

I “got it”.

We know the last chapter, Mary didn’t. She feared for her very life, as she could be STONED for her “indiscretion”! Would you, as her parents, have believed her? Do you know how HARD that must’ve been for all of them?

As we approach the Christmas season, remember the reason we celebrate, remember a young unwed mother, great with child making a journey to a land not her own, away from her mom and everything familiar. Remember her FAITH, even though she didn’t know the Happily FOREVER After was to come for all of us.

Blessed be the name of the Lord,

Don’t miss Post 2 today, White Chocolate Peppermint Fudge.

Define Necessity

Posted on December 15, 2011 by Mom of 4

Have you read the Bernstein Bear’s Book called “The Greedy Gimmies”?

Every family should own this book, so it can be pulled out and referenced to our kids.

America has a BAD, BAD case, of the Greedy Gimmies.

This selfish need for stuff……for more, more, more. Overflowing closets, toy baskets and towering garage sale piles prove it. How about Christmas trees with gifts so stuffed below it, that it threatens to tip over?

Couldn’t that money be better spent on someone who struggles DAILY to feed their family? To someone across the world who doesn’t have the privilege of clean water at their disposal?

We are SPOILED ROTTEN and we are blind to it. Cupboards full of food and clean running water, soft beds and shoes on our feet are a PRIVILEGE and we should be thankful to have our daily needs met so easily. Somewhere across the world a Mommy longs for food for her children’s growling tummies, or water from a source other than the muddy stream, and you want another knick knack for your shelf? A bigger TV? A softer mattress? $170 Ugg boots?

There are so many GREAT options out there for Gracious Gift Giving:

Like Samaritans Purse, who sends out a WONDERFUL catalog each year with items like: “Feed A Hungry Baby for A Week – $9” or “Buy a Family A Months Worth of Milk- $18” . I wrote about it last year: Check it out here.

You can purchase these items and many, many more, in honor of “Aunt Sue” or “Uncle Jim”, and Samaritans Purse sends a lovely card, so they know just what your gift to them did for a family in need. A gift like that keeps on giving the entire year, long after our Christmas trees are tucked away, our knick-knacks put up on the shelf.

How about using Christmas as a Season of Compassion and adopting a child from Compassion International?

We are big believers in their ministry, and sponsor 2 children each month from Uganda. We’ve sponsored Bampata John for 8 years now, and Nahabwe Deborah for 5ish.

Do you know how good it was, for my kids to realize that the Birthday money we sent John, went to buy him a BED? That the Christmas money we sent, bought his family a COW? Life changing items to his family who needs so much.

So what does this post title mean: “Define Necessity”?

Saying “No” to our kids is a hard thing to ask a parent to do, but since when does purchasing things equal happy kids?

IT DOESN’T.

Now, don’t get mad at me here for coming down on you, I’m totally talking to myself in this post too. Our toy closet is full! Even though we don’t buy toys just because we step foot in Walmart, it has still slowly filled up. We don’t buy 20 gifts for each kid at Christmas; they get 3 from us, just like Jesus received from the 3 wise men. (This helps limit our spending, as well as their need for MORE.) Yet, the toy closet is so full it makes me angry every time I step foot in there.

I’d rather have 1 toy my children can play with 7 different ways, than 7 different toys that can only be played with one way.

We live in a See It, Want It, Buy It generation.

Commercials flash across the screen, designed to grab our children’s attention and create a need in them. It’s a trick, and I won’t fall for it. We rarely watch TV, but when we do, you better believe the commercials get muted and kids sent off to brush teeth or something. I won’t have it, it makes me too mad to watch them invade my home with the intent of screaming:

“BUY MY PRODUCT, you know you WANT too!!!!!!!!! You NEEEEED it.”

What are we doing to protect our children from this nasty cycle of “Stuff”?

What are we doing to teach them to SAVE their dollars and work hard for what they want, rather than watching mommy pull out her credit card once again to get them what they “HAVE to have”?

In a time of a low economy, job losses, recession and foreclosures, we need to teach our children to appreciate what they ALREADY have! To play creatively with toys that don’t whir and spin, sing and move. What happened to good ol’ fashion fun under a sheet-covered dining room table? Or basic wooden blocks to create castles and entire towns out of? What about a trunk of old clothes and shoes, just begging for an afternoon tea party in full costume?

Let’s get creative, and you don’t need new toys to do it! Let’s finger paint with pudding. Let’s bathe dolls or float boats in a kitchen sink chock full of bubbles. Let’s get out a bowl of water and a paint brush and paint the bricks out front. Let’s give those well-worn books another read. Let’s make shopping trips a rare treat, not the norm. Let’s use gift buying as a way to bless others or reward a month-long “Job Well Done”, or when a child finishes filling their chore chart with stickers, not to quiet a fit in the middle of Target.

Don’t we want our kids to learn to be content as they grow up? Are we creating a generation of Greedy Gimmie Kids who will enter the work world expecting to have all their demands met when they stamp their foot?

YES. And it’s time to stop.

There is nothing wrong with buying a few Christmas gifts for your children. It’s the taking it OVERBOARD that is killing us!

Have you ever watched a child surrounded by 12 new toys? They can’t focus or enjoy one, too distracted by the other, then the other, then the other, never really enjoying them to their full potential.

Let’s teach our kids first to GIVE rather than receive, then, let’s limit what we choose to give them in order to teach them to appreciate what they have. Let’s reach out to a family in need to make our children aware of how much harder someone has it out there. How blessed we are to have full tummies and soft beds.

Let’s stop the Greedy Gimmies in their tracks……….let’s get our kids back to the basics.

Let’s

Starting now.

It’s past time…..

Mary, Did You Know?

Posted on December 25, 2010 by Mom of 4

We recently watched the Nativity story together as a family. Wow! It stopped me in my tracks, and although it was hard to understand the words at times, touched my heart in a very real way.

One Family, One Journey. One Child who would change the world forever.

It was so good for me to emotionally go on that journey with Mary & Joseph. Can you imagine how difficult it was for Mary, an unwed teen, to be scoffed by her friends who think she’s nuts, when she says she has never been with a man, but is pregnant anyways? Or having to tell her parents the big news: Did she wait until she was showing, or tell them right away?

How about feeling the threat of DEATH by stoning looming over her head, should Joseph choose to file charges against her. I wonder, since her parents choose Joseph as betrothed, does she even know him well at this point? Or love him? Does she know enough about him to think he’ll believe her story? How scary to not know what will happen next!

Although Joseph’s initial reaction was to break the engagement, totally acceptable in that day, he treated Mary with such kindness. What a gentleman! He didn’t want to cause her further shame, so he decided to act quietly. I am so glad God chose to send an angel to Joseph in a dream, to verify Mary’s story, so he could be reassured that his marriage to her was God’s will. When the angel explained that the child within Mary was indeed conceived by the Holy Spirit, that his name would be Jesus and that he was the Messiah, God with us, did he freak out!? Did he sit in wonder and awe? Do you think he lay awake the rest of the night thinking of what his life with Mary was going to be like? Parents of THE MESSIAH? That is some heavy thinking for the middle of the night! He willingly took Mary to be his wife, knowing they were being looked down upon in their town. Maybe this noble quality is one of the reasons God chose Joseph to be the earthly father of Jesus.

And later, as they are married and traveling to Bethlehem, I was shocked to see Joseph’s bloody, calloused feet. But why wouldn’t they be? They walked the approximately 60-90 miles to Bethlehem, (like you walking to Wichita or past, except over hills, valleys and rough terrain) where the census was taken.

Poor Mary, riding or walking that long journey, big and pregnant. I bet her baby pressed on her bladder, making them stop often, I bet the heat was unbearable at times, I bet nights were spent in discomfort, sleeping on the hard ground. Going into labor in a town far away from her mother and all things familiar. A newly married young woman, who had never been intimate with a man, giving birth to her first child, who also just happens to be the Saviour of the world!!!!

Do you remember that feeling as you realized you were about to give birth to your first-born? Those emotions you felt, as you anticipated, yet dreaded the labor part. Did she cry for her momma? Did she squeeze Joseph’s hand as hard as she could as she contracted? Was he a good coach? Did she trust him to help safely deliver this precious child in a stable, or was she afraid even though the angel said, “fear not”?

Oh, the joy she must have felt, as she lifted that precious child in her arms, counted his ten tiny fingers and toes, and marvelled at all that had just occurred. How overwhelmed she must have been, as she looked around their humble dwelling, wondering what she had to offer the King of Kings? Wondering about this babe, who would grow into a toddler full of questions. When would they know, that he knew, He was the King of Kings? A look in his eye? The words from his mouth? Did she wonder what kind of challenges that would create?

And what about when all those stinky Shepherds showed up? Exhausted and emotional, what was she feeling as they came, and touched her new baby? You know how protective first time moms are! Did she wish she could have them wash up first?

As they left, they were still praising and glorifying God, but sweet Mary kept quiet, treasuring their words and pondering them in her heart. Don’t you think at that moment, it must have been beyond her ability to grasp, that sleeping in her arms—the precious child she had just worked so hard to bring into the world—was the Savior of the world. Wow!

How real everything becomes, as you watch in this movie, and see those precious little lives lost as Herod, in fear, commands all the baby boys under the age of 2 to be killed. Oh, the heartache of those mothers, screaming as their baby sons were ripped from their arms and slain. I have to wonder, as Mary and Joseph were told by the angel to flee in the night to safety, how old was Jesus at the time? Did her pumping adrenaline kick in, did those ‘mother bear’ instincts get her through? Or was she paralyzed with fear, and having to be prompted by Joseph to stop crying and pack so they could go? How did she manage? I can’t imagine what she was feeling, still in a foreign land away from home, now fleeing to Egypt to be refugees there. And another dream tells them to return back home, FINALLY! Who knows how many years later?! What a STRONG woman!

Watching this movie was eye-opening to say the least.

It is my hope, that this Christmas, you will celebrate the humble beginnings of our Lord and King. And remember, just how real this was to a newlywed couple in Bethlehem, who experienced this day, a life changing, WORLD changing moment…..as they held our Lord and Saviour in their arms and kissed his sweet head.

May Jesus be real to you today, as you celebrate His birth.