Sunday morning ponderings . . .

   

watercolour by Jennifer Smith Greene

The children at church are putting on their Nativity this morning and I, for one, am really looking forward to it.  It is one of my favourite things about the Christmas season. I love the Christmas Story and all that it entails . . . the story of Mary and of Joseph . . . and their tremendous amount of faith.  Of the Shepherds on the hillside and their angelic visitation.  The Wise Men and the long journey that they took.   It all fills my heart with a warmth that is indescribable.  But then I believe with all of my heart that these things are true and not just . . . a story.  It is a re-telling or remembrance which is fraught with mystery, and danger and . . . love. 

I often find myself pondering upon Mary at this time of year, and all that she went through.  She wasn't very old.  We know that Brides from that time and area were often very young, maybe fifteen or sixteen years of age.   I think of what I was like at that age . . . and I am humbled.  I do not think I would have been favoured by God at that age.   She must have been a very special young lady.  I would have been terrified to have been visited by an angel.  How very brave she must have been to take all of these things into her heart and ponder them . . . and then to put up with the ridicule of the villagers upon their learning she was pregnant and not yet married.   A stoneable offense . . . what a scary time.  She must have still felt ashamed, even though she knew it was God's plan . . . but she still accepted her role irregardless of anything else she may have felt.  

 

More often than not though, I ponder the way she must have felt during the trip to Bethlehem and then the birth of the Saviour.  To be so far away from home, and in pain, and on a journey such as this.   Not nice.    And then to have been forced to give birth to the Son of God in a stable amidst the animals and their noise and smell, without the comfort of a mother or sister's hand to calm her fevered brow or to help to talk her through the experience with tender care.  I do not believe that Jewish law would have allowed her husband to be with her.  She was a virgin and had not even known a man . . . oh how very terrified she must have been . . . and utterly alone. 

Was her labor long . . . difficult?  Did she cry with tears of fear and pain . . . did she feel a bit abandoned?  Did she feel duped?   This was the Son of God.  Had she imagined it all??  Surely were he truly the son of God . . .  the babe would not be born under such dire circumstances . . . did she wonder at that?  Who cared for the needs of her and her newborn babe on this special night?   It must have felt a bit like a long nightmare to her.  Tired.  Alone.   In pain and discomfort in a far away place, and in a smelly barn.  The scriptures tell us that she wrapped him in swaddling clothes and lay him in the manger . . . and the light shone down upon them, and the shepherds came to call . . . and angels . . . did she feel wonder at the moment.  

  

How did it feel to kiss the face of God  . . . 

All of these thoughts and more go through my head and I am awestruck in amazement . . . and so very touched by the story of this young girl, and her faith and the love that is wound about and threaded into every word.  The love and faith of a young girl in her Heavenly Father.  The love and faith of Joseph who accepted these things and went along with it all.  The love of a Heavenly Father for ALL of his children.   The love of the Savior . . .  so much love that He would risk coming to earth as the most vulnerable and helpless of beings . . . a human baby . . .  knowing fully that he would experience all that he had to experience and do what he had to do.  

Love.   That is the thing I ponder most in my heart.   Love.   It is all down to Love.  And when I think of these things I am touched in a way that words cannot describe and I am humbled and I am filled with joy and with peace . . . and with great gratitude. 

 

Jon, Josh and Jacob

One thing which I miss, being so far away, is the annual Christmas Concerts of my grandchildren.  This was Jon, Josh and Jacob at theirs last week.  At 12 Jon is almost at the age where this type of thing is not really something he wants to do now, and Josh, he is such a sweet serious young boy and Jakey, well Jakey is just Jakey!  He's a real ham.  Love them all to bits!

They had our Christmas party at the chapel last night. We did not go, obviously partly because of the car and partly because we both are not overly fond of being out at night when we have something to do the next day like church.  Thankfully our friend Peter is giving us a lift there and back this morning so we don't have to miss anything. Church last week was canceled due to the weather.  Couldn't be helped.  I hope it is not too long before we get the car on the road again!

A thought to carry with you . . . 

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★
 *.˛.° Forgiveness does not change the past,
but it does enlarge the future.
~Paul Boese  •。★★ 。* 

Spiritual Enlightenment 

 

BOOK OF MORMON CORNER - Today's Reading -  2 Nephi 20:12-34   

Question - What have you learnt from the reading today? What do these verses teach you about humility?

My Thoughts - Verse 15- Boast itself, magnify itself, shake itself, lift itself up. What makes the saw and the ax move? Of course it is the person who has them in their hand. So why would the ax boast that it has chopped the wood? Why am I so proud and forget Heavenly Father has blessed me with everything I have? And also I remember reading this somewhere,  I can be a useful instrument to Him, in His hand, if I am in tune. 

I love verse 27. I love the visual of being yoked to the world and dragging around a load of its expectations and imposed standards to live up to, with it being a mighty heavy burden because it's always changing and there is no rest. But then when we find Jesus Christ, and covenant with Him, He breaks that burden, the worldly cares we have, and He invites us to yoke ourselves, or bind ourselves- to Him. Let Him carry our necessary cares with us. It reminds me of one of my favourite scriptures: "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light".  

Tomorrow's Reading (Day 59) -   2 Nephi 21:1-22:6 

Question -What have you learnt from the reading today? How does learning of Christ's second coming affect the way you live your life? 

 

In the Kitchen today a delicious Apple Torte.  Could this be your Christmas Dessert this year?? Or at least one of them? You can't go wrong with this.  It's fabulously tasty and such a simple bake.

Have a wonderful Sunday.  Don't forget along the way of your day!

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And I do too!