We've been to Granny and Pa's, been shopping on Black Friday and volunteered at Fantasy of Trees. We've put up 2 Christmas trees and lots of decorations, and we still need to put lights outside on the deck. But we are making progress.
The most important thing to me right now is thinking about Mary, mother of Jesus. We've been discussing this at church, and no matter what time it is, now or 2,000 years ago, Mary must have faced shame. What do you say? You are pregnant with the Christ child although you are a virgin. Yeah, right. Who came to her rescue and believed her? Joseph, her future husband, and Elizabeth, her aunt, who was old and pregnant with John the Baptist. I've always loved the verses in Luke where Mary goes to Elizabeth. As soon as Mary enters, John the Baptist, in his momma's belly, "leaps" with joy. What a joy. Then follows Mary's song of gratefulness. In the midst of such adversity, she gives all the credit to God.
Not only does she bear and give birth to the Christ child, God in human flesh, she lives his life with him. We don't know much at all about his life, other than his minstry. I love the scenes from the Passion where she is remembering "unimportant" aspects of his life as he is walking to his death. I also enjoyed Anne Rice's novels on Jesus' young life and life just before his ministry. I really enjoyed her take on Jesus' first miracle -- turning water into wine at a wedding. The bride was one who loved Jesus.
Oh well, I guess I'm ready for Christmas, but I'm focused on making sure that we focus on Christ instead of the madness that we Americans have made it today. God Bless us all.
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