Less than comfortable accommodations. Noisy roommates with not so great hygiene. A delivery that didn't arrive as expected. Uninvited guests. Maybe God purposed the chaos of the first Christmas knowing that Christmas ever after would be just as chaotic. If you are joining me from Karen Ehman's "12 Days of Christmas Giveaway," welcome! If not, hop over there for a chance to win some incredible gifts for Christmas. But come right back. You'll want to see the rest of the pictures from our family's Christmas tradition.
As I told Karen, I'm learning to cherish the chaos of Christmas. Each year I resolve to avoid it, and yet chaos seems as much a part of Christmas as scattered glitter, strewn pine needles and Fort Knox toy packaging. Based on Mary's experience, birthed by God Himself, should I wonder at the chaos of my own little corner of Christmas? In our noisy Bethlehem, I often feel like a chorus of some sort shouts overhead. From time to time the smell of poop wafts through the air. Weird and unexpected gifts find their way to my home. And to be honest sometimes I feel like I'm living with wild animals.
And yet it's all still magical and new and blessed. At least that's how I choose to see it.
I kind of bet Mary made a similar choice. When I get to heaven, I want to have a girl's night out with that chick. Of all the women in Scripture, Mary is the queen of cherishing the chaotic and unexpected. I mean, an angel appears to her in the middle of the night and tells her she's prego. (And I thought peeing on a stick was eventful.) Her response according to Luke 1 is, "how will this be?" Come on girlfriends would those have been the first words out of your mouth? Really? Then he goes on to tell her that God is going to be her baby-Daddy. Can you imagine? I think I would have asked him if he could stop by my Daddy's bedroom before he leaves and share this news with him.
I can't wait to get Mary's perspective on that night and the nights that followed. She worships. She treasures. She ponders. She welcomes. She chooses. I can learn a thing from this first mother of Christmas. So I'm trying to make the wise choice-the choice to cherish.
In comparison to all Mary chose to overlook, my Bethlehem isn't so chaotic.
Now, if you'd like to see pics from our Christmas dinner out with the boys:
8 comments:
I loved reading your post! I am glad to see you are in Atlanta too. Good to have strong local ladies!! Since I was a very young girl we have always had a Christmas Eve tradition of opening one present. My Mom is German and that is when she had always open presents as a kid. When my German Mom and American Dad married this was their compromise. When my parents later divorced Christmas Eve was always my Mom's day to have my brother and I. I carried that tradition on with my boys and now we still all go to my Mom's on Christmas Eve and exchange gifts. This a the one tradition that has stayed through all family and life changes. It is very precious to my boys as well and I believe it will live on in their grown up lives oneday!
Great post on traditions. Love to see how you are enjoying your children even if it is chaotic.
The chaos of Christmas is an adventure....I love the unknown as well as the known aspects of this beloved day and the days leading up to it......laughter is better than medicine!
I am from Atlanta, I now live in South Texas. I remember as a child going to Riches downtown to ride the Pink Pig on the roof with the animals below. One year when we visited during the holidays, I took my daughter to ride. I miss he simple years of Christmas. This year we are staying home, so it will be more simple.
My family always gets together at Mom's for soup and conversation and games. We have a large group and a lot of fun!
My family live too far away so our 'get together' at Christmas is a phone call.
We pick something special to do each year. We get excited about choosing what we are going to do each year!
We like to get away completely----a family trip to someplace warm and relaxing----where time together is all we have.
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