Mary's POV........

Yesterday morning I fell into my routine. Take Jack out, make the bed, get some hot tea brewin', and begin the day with some reading, praying, and thinking. As I sat to read I found myself with the realization that it was Christmas day. I knew that I didn't want to do the same ol' same ol' in my reading. I thought I'd veer from my regularly scheduled Bible chapter and go to the traditional "]Christmas story in the Bible. On Christmas Eve I read Luke 2, the account of Jesus birth. But on Christmas day the subtitle above a section in Luke 1 was the "Birth of Jesus Foretold". It struck me that Christmas was just as much about Mary's willingness to serve her God as it was about the amazing act of the birth of Christ. With out her willing heart and spirit what would this day had gone down in history as ? So, I read this section along with Luke 2 and the account of Christs Birth. There are four verses that stand out to me, Luke 1:30 "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.", Luke 1:37-38 "For nothing will be impossible with God, And Mary said, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." , and Luke 2:19 "But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them  in her heart."

My mind cant help but be amazed at how calm Mary was depicted as being. I mean, based on what I was taught in Bible class I am told that Mary was only 15ish. Can you imagine being 15 and pregnant ? She was newly engaged and here she is approached by an Angel with a message far greater than perhaps any other message she will ever receive. I think on the excitement, worry, and dreams that come with just her engagement alone. The desire to be a good wife for a good man. To honor her parents with the plans they had made for her. And here she is told she will give birth to a King. Does she panic, stomp out of the room cause the plan is not as she anticipated, toss her hands in the air feeling betrayed by God or her parents, worry about her man, her wedding, her future ? No. She replies so simply and beautifully "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord......". OH TO HAVE SUCH CALM!!!!!! I confess I envy this part of Mary's nature. Yesterday I lingered on the thought of Mary. While being so thankful for a God that cares for my sometimes "dark and twisty" self so much that He would send His Son to die for my sins. I also linger on the work that God had to be doing in Mary. I long to be such a faithful servant. I don't know that I'll ever come near approaching any sort of close similarity to this part of Mary's character as a person, but I believe it is a worthy goal to add to my new years resolutions. Just thinking on the fact that one persons's following of the Lord will indeed have an effect on another person's ability to the follow the Lord. It causes me to pray much harder on the choices that will come to me in the future. I hope to be able to say, "I am a servant of the Lord, let it be to me according to Your word."

Merry Christmas Loves!!!!!

I pray your holiday was everything you dreamed it to be and more!!!

Much Love from Stacie and Santa Paws!!!!