Holy Night

Last night we did our annual “tour of lights” - or in other words we got in the car in our PJ’s and drove around to look at christmas lights. One of the churches in town did a drive through live Nativity. 

It was very well done, simple - not overly “done” . There were the shepherds “keeping watch over their caged sheep. The little girl angels with there feathery wings, the wise men with their real camels and ornate gift boxes.

 But there was something about the stable that drew me. It was just a simple lean-to , there was a fire burning inside it and hale bales to sit on - there was a little manger box that kept a goat occupied, and some sheep milling around.    Joseph stood in the back bouncing a little to warm up.

Mary though - It was Mary that struck me. She was sitting on her bale of hay in front of joseph. Gazing tenderly down at the bundle in her arms, rocking a little back and forth - it was almost as if she was singing quietly.. lost in her own thoughts.  The trees towering the background , the animals beside her  noisy and stinky. The chill air swept in through the window and hit my face.   

Was it cold the night Jesus was born?

She was a mother - just like me. At that moment, exhausted from travel and the birthing of a new life. She had no bed, and no home. But everything that mattered to her was in the shelter of those stable walls. 

She didn’t know what would happen

She didn’t know who she held in her arms - not really.

But she knew love, she knew family and she knew contentment. 

It’s good for me to think about this - 

I’ve been running around at a frantic pace , running over people, trying to get everything done that “HAS” to get done before christmas. In that moment  - with the chill on my face , I remembered.....  

What it’s really about.