But do you think giving birth to Baby Jesus in a manger surrounded by animals in a city away from home was Mary's idea of a "perfect" birth? Doubtful. But it was God's plan and it truly was perfection; it was the perfect harmony of joy, sacrifice and unconditional love.
That is still the recipe for the perfect Christmas; families should share in the joy of the Christmas miracle together, they should make some sacrifices by giving to those in need, and they should demonstrate unconditional love to one another.
Yet we're greedy (or at least I am) and want that whipped cream and cherry on top of our eggnog; we want just the right tree from just the right farm; we want that adorable family photo to post on Facebook; we want the 16 different types of cookies (which later we will hate ourselves for eating)..so we cling to tradition. We allow tradition to replace the key ingredients of joy, sacrifice and unconditional love and then we're surprised when its missing a certain flavor.
When the fact that I would be in the hospital for Christmas sunk in I was crushed. I focused on what I would be missing, what my husband would be missing, and what my kids would be missing. I cried over the tree I wouldn't get to help pick out, I cried over the cookies I wouldn't get to bake, I cried over my kids opening their presents without me. It was a full blown pity party. I even asked the doctor if he would grant a 24-hour furlough, as if I were a prisoner requesting to make up my time after Christmas Day (he said no). I was cheapening the gift of Christmas by focusing on the celebration of tradition (or lack thereof) rather than the celebration of the greatest gift ever received by mankind - the birth of Jesus Christ our Savior!
Admittedly, it took me a while to digest what an honor it really is to be in this situation. It gives me a certain affinity with Mary to be with child (in my case, two) and to have my future so squarely in God's very capable hands. I don't know what my future will bring, but neither did Mary. Instead of focusing on all of the things that weren't "right" she basked in the joy of motherhood, she willingly made the sacrifice of carrying this precious child and she did it all with unconditional love, trust and faith. Mary paved the way and set the bar high; so high above my head I didn't see it at first.
My family can still have a great Christmas, we just have to refocus on the gifts we are receiving instead of what we're not getting, because the gifts we're getting this year are far more precious than anything we could find at a mall or under the tree. This year our family has been blessed with the joyful spontaneous miracle of two babies; we have been blessed with the heavenly protection of their fragile little lives; we have been blessed with the test and triumph of faith over and over again; we have been blessed with the opportunity to show and be shown unconditional love to each other and to our Heavenly Father....which can only be summed up as the perfect Christmas!
Plus, I have an amazing husband and a very supportive family who have given my kids a taste of our family traditions, too. Plus I will still get to witness the joy on my precious little children's faces as they open their gifts from Santa...just on FaceTime. Maybe, just maybe, if everyone is germ-free, we can be together for the day in my hospital "hotel". Yes, regardless of the disruption to our traditions, it will certainly be a very merry Christmas for the Sommer Family this year!
 |
| Joy, sacrifice and unconditional love....all under our tree. |
If your holiday season is missing the flavor of Christmas this year consider stepping back from all of the white noise and re-evaluate the roots of your traditions; are they focused on the true gift of Christmas or superficial perfectionism? If you've gotten caught up in the hustle and bustle ask God for a new birth for you and your family through the birth of His Son so you can experience His best gift ever.
James 1:17
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
Inspirational Quote:
"He who has not Christmas in his heart will never find it under a tree". ~ Roy L. Smith
My Prayer:
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank You for the perfect Christmas gift. Thank You for being patient with me and helping me see beyond traditions. I lack nothing and I have been blessed with the most precious gifts. As we celebrate the joyous birth of Your Son, and I wait patiently for the birth of my daughters, I ask for a new birth within my heart so that I may rise about my selfish inclinations and fully embrace the joy, sacrifice and unconditional love You have given to our world. Please also keep my darling little lovelies healthy so I can hug and kiss them on this very special day. Thank You! Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment