I love this season of the year! I love the reason we celebrate, of course! I love the lights and the giving! I love the family time and all the special things going on in community and in church! But, in all my love of the season, I realize that Christmas brings different emotions to different people. Christmas brings fun, laughter, gifts, and cheer for some; anxiety, depression, and fear for others. What does the lead up to Christmas hold for you?
Do you ever think about the magnitude of what the parents of Jesus faced leading up to the birth of their Son on that first Christmas? They were in an uncertain place for sure----an impossible situation it probably seemed. A pregnancy that couldn't be humanly explained; a wife-to-be that is expecting someone's else's baby (and she says it's God's!); a husband-to-be that's in love, but troubled at the circumstances and caught trying to explain things he doesn't even understand himself. Both are visited by an angel who proclaims things to them they never could have possibly dreamed of happening. Those are just a few of the scenarios they had going. Your season may or may not be as complicated as theirs, hopefully, not. But, there are some things we can learn from the way they handled their situations that I think we can draw from!
They determined to work through all the craziness together! They realized that there was a bigger plan that they must be a part of.
They trusted God and His plan beyond what they could see or make sense of.
They allowed the struggle to draw them closer together rather than pushing them apart. Two are truly better than one (Ecclesiastes 4:9).
Whatever this Christmas season brings your way, draw from this family. Face the fun and the struggles together. Trust God in all things and allow whatever you face--good or bad---to bring you closer as a family! Even if the things you face are not what you'd desire, these principles can help bring some cheer, joy, and peace to your Christmas! Celebrate the Savior that came and remember----His coming seemed like a mess to begin with, but in reality--it was the most amazing miracle ever! Your mess might just be a miracle in the making too. Respond as Mary and Joseph did and just see what happens! MERRY CHRISTMAS!