Christmas Eve

 

                Christmas has never been my favorite time of year.  It is not because I do not believe in Christmas, it is just hard.  I know there are reasons and I am sure some of them are valid reasons.  However, tonight of all nights amazes me, it always has.  To think that tonight the Son of God was born over 2,000 years ago. 

                I have given birth 3 times.  There is nothing that feels as good as hearing your baby cry for the first time and holding them in your arms.  I am a wimp and I was happy to have as many drugs as I could.  I did not want to feel anything.  I have always thought that women that had children naturally were awesome, but that is not for me at all. 

                This night however, we focus on Mary, Joseph, and the new born babe.  I cannot imagine what that journey was like.  Riding and walking to pay taxes when you are 9 months pregnant.  Not just traveling to the mailbox, but many, many miles.  It had to be very uncomfortable.  Joseph, I imagine was doing everything he could do to keep Mary comfortable.  I do not know if we give Joseph the credit he deserves.  He truly loved Mary and our Father in Heaven.  It would have been very easy to walk away, yet he stayed.

                Finally, the come to a place to spend the night.  The inn keeper seems to always get the short end of the stick.  Yet, he did give them a place to stay.  They could not have stayed in the inn even if there was room.  Remember, Jesus’s birth was foretold by prophets and he had to be born in the poorest of circumstances. 

                Angels not an angel told of the birth.  Singing and praising God, singing hosannas to the Most High God.  I have heard a lot of choirs in my life and I am amazed by some of them.  I can imagine that this would have been the most awesome of them all. 

                Can you imagine if you were the shepherds watching their flocks?  Notice after they were told that the Savoir is born they did not just go about their business, it uses the word haste.   What a commotion that might have been as shepherds went as fast as they could to see the Christ child.  

                Today as we finish the last minute shopping, wrapping, etc…, I hope we take time to read, think, ponder, and pray about this holiest of nights.  I cannot imagine loving ALL of mankind enough to send down My Only Begotten Son, to save the world.  What a wonderful blessing this is in my life.  I know that He is the Savior and Redeemer of the world and me.