Mary Did You Know ?

It is Thursday and in looking over my blog posts, I realize that I haven't written a  Thankful Thursday post in quite some time.

Today, while putting my little one down for his morning nap, I looked down at his rosy little cheeks, pouty lips and closed eyes as he drifted off in a sound slumber. I said to myself,  "how is it possible to love someone this much". A mother's love for her child is unlike any other love I have ever know. As I was thinking this, still rocking my baby in my arms, my mind began to wander. I started thinking about sweet, young, innocent Mary, the mother of Jesus. I began to focus on how she once rocked Jesus in this same way. Mary once nursed Jesus to sleep, got up with him in the middle of the night when he woke, dried his tear when he cried and cheered along side him when he accomplished something new ( like crawling, walking and saying his first words).

 As a mother, was Mary consumed with the thoughts of when to let her baby start solid foods, to let him cry it out or not, when to potty train ?. . . Yes, she was a mother, with a mother's heart  just like all of us, she loved and nurtured her child.

I often look at Robert and dream about the man he will one day be. Will he be strong, will he be tall, who will he marry? What will it be like one day when he is a grown man and the two of us are able to converse as adults? I started to imagine how Mary must have felt knowing that she was giving birth to The Son of God, the Savior, a man that would move mountains, heal the sick and die of the sins of this world. What an AWESOME concept!! Mary knew who her baby would grow to be! Just like the beautiful Christmas song Mary Did You Know.

Please take a moment to pause my music feed at the bottom of this page and play this video below. :)

Of course, this thought led my mind to think about Jesus' death and ultimate sacrifice on the cross at Calvary and just how hard this must have been for Mary to endure. To watch your sweet , precious little baby boy who you once held in your arms be mistreated.in this way.

I am thankful for Christmas, for it is the celebration of Jesus' birth! I believe as a society we really have lost the meaning of Christmas. Christmas has become way too commercialized in my opsinion. I think it is fun and fine to, get into the spirit and celebration of Christmas by decorating, making cookies, giving gifts and so on.  However in my heart of hearts, I feel that we need to get back to the REAL meaning of Christmas. The celebration of a tiny baby boy who was born in a manger in a dirty stable with animals, to a young girl  and. a poor family.
 I find it so WONDERFUl that Jesus could have chosen to be born and come into this world as a rich king, but he chose the humble way. He did not come into this world with glorious gold, glitz and glamor
 nor did he leave this world in the most glamorous way. He died on a cross, like a common thief would have in those days. I love that my Jesus is humble and not prideful or self-seeking.

In this same manner, I believe there is something to be said about Jesus' humble beginnings and introduction to this world. We are told as a society that we MUST impress each other at Christmas time, go over the top with lavish, expensive gifts which in the end have no eternal value. We make ridiculous wish-lists of gift after gift of things "we want". Why not STOP thinking about ourselves, give less of tangible money resources and give more from our hearts this Christmas. In the true spirit of Christ!

 Just think, somewhere in this world,  perhaps even in your own community, there is a young un-wed mother who needs food, clothing, blankets and love this Christmas. There may be a family struggling to clothe and feed their children this Christmas. Perhaps there is a disabled or elderly person in your community who just needs a ride to the grocery store to gather supplies to make their Christmas dinner. Let's get back to what Christmas really is all about this year friends. It' starts with you and me. :)

Have a blessed day,