So, here we are. In the week between Christmas and New Years. It is an odd week as we wind down from the christmas build up and look forward to the celebration of ending another year, and beginning a new one. For me it has been a struggle to remember what day it is. We attended church on Christmas eve, which was saturday but then felt like Sunday. Christmas was on Sunday but felt like Saturday. So then Monday felt like Sunday. And with it still getting dark so early I have been convinced it has to be at least 10pm every day around 6:30! Such a weird time.
I imagine the days following the first Christmas were confusing as well. I have always heard in the Christmas story about Mary's response to all that happened around surrounding the birth of her son, the Savior. Luke 2:19 says that "Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often" NLT I am sure she remembered and thought over the trip to Bethlehem, the search for a place to stay, the birth in a place meant for animals, the visit from the shepherds. But I imagine there were quiet moments she relived in her mind as well, her infants first cry, the first time he nursed, moments when he would quiet down and sleep in her arms, and probably sweet moments between her and Joseph as they entered the world of parenthood, and of course wondering about the messages they had received from angelic visitors and wondering how it would all work out.
This Christmas I have found myself doing something similar. We have lots of pictures and video of our gathings, mostly of my sweet granddaughter as she experienced her first christmas. And I love looking over those and remembering the precious time we had together.
But there are some things we did not catch on camera, these things I have gathered up in my heart, and continue to think about and remember them. Like when she got tired and we went to the den to be in a quiet place and look at her books, and as I read she smiled, and touched the pages and helped me turn them. The moments when I sang to her and she watched me intently and smiled and snuggled into my shoulder. Sitting in the living room with my mom, and watching her talk to her GG and want to walk over and get closer to her. And holding her hands as we walked through the house to find her Great Granddaddy sitting in the kitchen, and for the first time reaching up to him to sit on his lap, all her own idea. These are things that we have no video or pictorial evidence of, but they linger in my memory and my heart and bring me such joy.
I hope, as you move through this odd and somewhat confusing week, that you have precious memories to ponder and hold in your heart. I have many and they quickly come to the surface. But I know many are not so fortunate, and have to dig deep to find good things to remember and ponder. I hope you can find them, and hold on to them and they bring you joy in the remembering.
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