Pregnancy & Christmas

11 days to go!! Our countdown is getting closer … and altho we have plenty of time, it seems as tho it's taking forever! Between fake contractions and real contractions that won't stick longer then 2 or 3 hours at a time, little Theo is just prepping us all and making sure we are completely ready for his arrival I suppose. Altho, in these last few weeks as the Christmas bug is catching on and the songs, stories of the Nativity, & pictures of the manger start showing up everywhere, being pregnant takes on a whole new look.

I keep picturing her, Mary, at such a young age preparing to be a mother. And not just a mother to anyone, but the mother of the Jesus!! I do remember the scare of the unknown of motherhood, and the questions that kept coming when we found out about Milo. And I still have plenty of questions with the second child … but I just can't imagine knowing that the child I would give birth to is God's son & God had chosen me to do the job!! Can you imagine that?!?!

I know in the end of every pregnancy (so i've been told) that every mom looks at the child that she just gave birth to and all the pain, morning sickness, uncomfortableness, sleepless nights (both pre & post pregnancy), & all those horrible days of just being huge – all those terrible feelings pass. They are lifted and forgotten. Makes me wonderful what were the struggles of Mary's pregnancy. Was she super sick? Did she get HUGE? Was there any way to relieve the uncomfortableness of the daily life of pregnancy???? But can you imagine looking into the eyes of newborn Jesus?! Closely snuggling the tiny child that would soon save man? I feel not only would all the months of craziness and sickness pass, but how unworthy I would feel knowing what He would do for me!!! How little a chore labor is compared to dying on a cross. (Something special that I'm keeping in mind as my "labor" day soon approaches)

Another fact I just can't wrap my mind around … she rode on a donkey, for miles while pregnant! And here I am complaining about riding in our comfy cozy car down the road & back. Can you imagine? Those last few months when things start really popping and becoming miserable; just hopping on a donkey and riding into a different town. Not only would that be SO uncomfortable, but she had no idea when things would progress … not knowing what kind of roof, if any, would be over her.

I'm a huge planner (shocker, I know), and the idea of not knowing who, where, and how I'll be delivering my children – yikes!! Talk about a panic attack! The fear of the unknown – I'm sure there's a good “phobia” name for it, but I would classify myself as one of the highest forms of it. And here Mary is about to be a first time mom & traveling across the lands. And where does she happen to have her baby?! In a stable of all places!!! Seriously, as a woman who's had a kid once (almost twice), if I knew I was having God's child I think I'd be a bit more “uppity” then Mary was. I mean the thought of laboring and delivering my son next to hay, cows, donkeys, and all their nice “treats” around the stable … gross!! Now I know there's no commentary on this story in the bible by Mary, but it sure would be fun to hear what she was thinking and frankly saying about this whole thing. It'd be hard to except … even not being the mother of Jesus.

But what amazes me is that this simple act of bearing the child of God in a stable – the lowliest of places; with the animals, dirt, & probably some other unpleasantness was to show us one thing. God's love. God loves us so much that he gave us his son, who came to this world, not on a throne, not in a “normal” birthing situation (which I'm not even sure what that would look like back then...), but in a barn. He grew up and had one job. To die for us. For my sins and for your sins. A perfect man on earth, who gave his life & loved even those he had never seen, for generations to come. How powerful the message of Christmas truly is. And how wonderful the reminder for myself; as I sit and eagerly await the arrival of my baby. The emotions and reactions of how Mary gave her self to be used of God for God's glory. And how humble she was thru it all.

I pray as the days draw closer to our big “due day” that God will use both my children and our family for His glory and honor. That we may truly remember what this holiday season is really about and that when they place baby Theo in my arms for the first time, may I be reminded of the powerful love of Christ Jesus, who died so that I may live.

That's some mighty powerful love.

And as the days pass, and as the the hustle of the holiday continues I want to remember this awesome quote that was given to me this week at a women's event at my church -

“Christmas has NOTHING to do with Black Friday and EVERYTHING to do with Good Friday!” - Sally Baucke

So much truth in that saying.