Category: 366 days of novice motherhood

Today I posted my 89 year old Granmas Christmas letter. It’s a tradition of around five years old.

Ever since she lost her eyesight, each Christmas we sit together and she tells me what she would like written to her friends and family about the year and I type it, print it and send it out.

Every year it always takes me by surprise how special this little ritual has become.

Each year as she asks me to strike off names from her postal list as she sadly tells me who of her friends has died in the past year since we wrote last.

Each year I walk away determined to spend more time with my Granma because of the stories she always brings out at moments like these.

The days I sit in wonder at her wisdom of years and how tenacious she is as she cooks her favorite biscuits for us each Christmas (although she is 95 per cent blind).

Wisdom
Tenacity
Stubbornness

All mark the years of my Granma.

Although modern Christmas carols depict the wise men who walk to Jesus as kings, royalty.

Some scholars would disagree saying that Magi were the wise old men.

The elders who had the courage of years to know truly that something rare had happened.

Magi means priestly astrologers. They were men of significant education, who were spiritual star watchers.

The direct translation means the three wise men.

Late in their years, they had seen a lot come and go, especially many so called prophets and people claim to be the Saviour

What was it that changed their mind this time?

What was it that made them travel mile after mile, desert after desert to give extravagantly to a baby in a manger.

I believe it was wisdom. A knowing that this was the right time.

I am often baffled when people are afraid to tell people their age, or people are ashamed of a new decade in their years.

I find those who celebrate their age and learn the lessons of their years, are often the ones who are immersed in wisdom.

Love the age you are.

Revel in it.

Seek and gain wisdom at all costs.

So you may discern between the false teachings of the day and the truth that lasts into eternity.

Wisdom.

Are you seeking knowledge or are you learning the lessons of your years and gaining wisdom.

The three wise men, were so much more than a fable. History shows that these men did travel from the east and visit the town of Bethlehem.

Who is in their twilight years that you can gain wisdom from?

A

In the time of Jesus shepherds were not well thought of.

They were the toilet cleaners of today.

You know those jobs that people believe they are too cool for.

Those jobs that are hard work and little pay, but people make their living from them.

The bible says of these shepherds;

There were sheepherders camping in the neighborhood. They had set night watches over their sheep. Suddenly, God’s angel stood among them and God’s glory blazed around them. They were terrified. The angel said, “Don’t be afraid. I’m here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for everybody, worldwide: A Savior has just been born in David’s town, a Savior who is Messiah and Master. This is what you’re to look for: a baby wrapped in a blanket and lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:8-12 MSG)

I think it’s amazing that God chose the lowly sheepherders to be one of the first people to come and kneel down before the king.

I think He notices the hard workers.

You know those ones that work behind the scenes, the farmers who toil the soil so we can eat, the market sellers who pack fruit box after fruit box, the cleaners who scurry around the shopping centres this Christmas after we have left our empty chip packets on the floor.

I think God sees the heart of those who the world would call lowly.

The poor, the forgotten, the overlooked and the downtrodden.

It makes me smile sometimes when I overhear people who are complaining in the queue at the post office as they wait an extra five minutes so they can post their expensive cards.

I don’t think they realize that those who are first will come last and those who are last first.

The kingdom of god is an upside down one. So those shepherds who were most likely dirty, rough and ready, we’re the ones who were called to the infant Christ.

Not the pious, proud, religious ones.

The dirty, malnourished and salt of the earth.

The shepherd dwellers, the forgotten heroes, the farm boys.

Pride comes before a fall and in the midst of the nativity narrative the humble are the ones who truly see Christ for who he is in their midst.

Purity.
Hardworking.
Salt of the earth.

It is that sort of character that perceives who Jesus is in our midst.

A

Scripture says that the magi (the kings) came from the east of Jerusalem.

They followed a star to the place where the king of all kings lay swaddled in manger.

The songs make it sound so delightful, like they were going on a holiday.

That they walked a little while and then knelt down and went back to their hotel and had a shower.

Ah no.

The journey from their lands afar to that stable in Bethlehem was a long and treacherous one.

It was full of flies and little water and lots of desert.

Even though these men were kings, royalty, magi, they crossed the desert, the itchy sands and terrain to worship a little baby boy.

I think we struggle when we go through a desert to find God.

I think we pull out at the first sign of trouble.

I think we are often to quick to fall apart when we are seeking God in a situation because we live in a culture of quick, fast food, microwaveable answers.

Imagine if you were royalty and you had everything you could ever desire yet you had to walk and ride through days upon days of desert to seek Jesus.

How fickle we can be.

How long have you been seeking your answer?

Sometimes a time of desert dwelling precedes the place of purpose.

The desert is not all bad, I believe the journey is what stretches our capacity, our ability and our character.

If you are in a desert place, keep walking I believe you will find what you are looking for.

Especially when you come as a king ready to humbly bow and worship.

A

Tonight I came along side a team of people and worked with them on a big carols event.

Chaffing, sunburn and sweat, I forgot you are the nasty companions of event management.

There were groups of people tonight who faithfully served, despite the nasty three and made the event sing.

Often people watch the people on stage, yet forget the ones who laid the stage they are standing on.

Way after the clapping has stopped ringing, it is those same people who are packing the stage away.

They don’t get applause yet they play their part.

There is a background narrative in the nativity story.

The narrative of the star that did its job.

Quietly without applause, or noteriety the star of Bethlehem served its purpose by serving the bigger picture.

The star lead people home to ignite light on where Jesus lay.

The star.

A simple piece of rock.

Played such an important part of the story.

A pivotal link.

People wouldnt have known where to go without it.

What’s your part of the bigger picture?

Are you serving yourself and your own selfish pursuits?

Or are you a part of a bigger plan, working with a group of people to make a big story bright?

Working together is imperative to living beyond your own limitations.

I would prefer to be in the background shining brightly than onstage with the lights on me any day.

Servanthood is a key to living a large life I believe.

Letting go of our own picture, to be a part of something far greater.

Shine bright dear friend.

A

If someone knocked at my door late at night asking for a bed would I say yes?

Maybe.

Maybe not.

Before we had Max it probably would have been a 90% yes, 10% no answer.

These days it’s a little different with a vunerable little man involved.

Play the movie some more, what if the person knocking was a 9 month pregnant woman?

Maybe yes. Probably yes. Oh I’m not sure.

How about you?

I would hope that we would say yes.

The bible simply says ‘there was no room at the inn’

Scholars saying that because the census had brought everyone back home to their own villages, the hotels, motels and holiday inn were booked out.

Imagine being the manager of the hotel that said no to Jesus being born in your lodgings?

Imagine being a person, when Joseph knocked, with Mary in the background moaning said no?

Imagine going down in history as one of the people that closed their doors on the most significant event of all time?

Sometimes it is scary to say yes to the unknown, it is scary to go out on a limb for humanity, it is scary to throw caution to the wind and help another person.

However, imagine what’s on the other side of that yes!

Imagine if you said yes and a whole new world awakened in your midst.

Sometimes our no’s preclude us from life changing circumstances because of fear.

What are you saying no to out of fear?

Who is knocking at your door?

Sometimes we just need to say yes.

Don’t turn your back on those in need this Christmas.

A