I know the holidays are here and there is the usual holiday hustle and bustle to get everything done before Christmas…but I am really trying to savor this time. Maybe it is because we have our little boy on the way or maybe it is just because as I get older I am realizing the importance of not trying to be super woman. Would it be the end of the world if my Christmas cards are late this year (which they will be more than likely :-) or if I didn’t send them at all (a travesty I know)? What about if my house wasn’t perfectly decorated for the holidays? Do I need to make a thousand Christmas cookies out of obligation because that is what you “should” do for the holidays? If it is not on my heart from the Lord to do something – then I am not going to do it!! In recent years I have had to will myself not to compare myself with others but this year I just want to enjoy my family, my time to rest before my life gets exponentially busier, and to enjoy Jesus. Taking time to prepare for this baby by getting his room ready I have been really reflecting on how different it was for Mary going through that time of preparing to bear her son Jesus. She was a virgin, merely a young teenager, not even married and bearing the Savior of the world in her womb. How do you mentally prepare for something like that? I have been taking time to reflect on Jesus’ birth and what that truly means to me. What a precious gift we have been given in Jesus. How awesome that God would send his only son to die on the cross for me. God the creator of the universe chose to have his son born by a virgin in a manger so that we could be in relationship with Him. Really a manger…of all places…not some stately Inn with fine linens and blankets…but outside in feeding trough for animals. I think about what a blessing it is to bring our little baby boy into a warm home, freshly painted room with new furniture, bedding, blankets and more stuff a baby needs as a newborn. Then there is Jesus, the light of the world born outside in a feeding trough for animals. That is the great thing about God is He didn’t have to arrive in some grand way that no one could relate to – He came into the world just like you and me – a baby. He came in the flesh so that we could relate to Him and so He could communicate to us that He understands what it is like to live on earth and that most of all He loves us no matter what. He understood what it was to weep, to have deep relationships, to wrestle with persecution for the sake of His Father, and to face temptation. He had a purpose to fulfill and carried out God’s plan so that we could be free from death and spend eternity with Him. What an amazing reality if we chose to believe it!! Amen.
I have been pondering a lot lately that God chose imperfect people in the Bible to carry out His perfect plan. Jesus was perfect because He is God is the flesh but the parents who raised Him on earth sure were not. Sound familiar? I am reminded every day just how imperfect I am! I love that because of Jesus our God does not require us to come to Him perfect, we don’t have to dress a certain way, or act as we “should”. We just need to come as we are. He already knows what is on our hearts and on our lips before we speak so it is silly to think that we need to be anything more than whom He created us to be - ourselves. It is amazing to think about isn’t it? I would challenge you if you profess Jesus as your Lord and Savior to take a moment to ponder the things of God during this crazy time of year. Take time out of this ordinarily busy time and be thankful for what He has done for us on the cross. I know for many this holiday season can be stressful, hard, and even painful. To those of you who are struggling and would like to know more about Jesus and what a relationship with Him can mean for you…contact me Jessica_frank@comcast.net. To those of you who already are in relationship with Jesus and going through hard times I would say there is hope in Him for this life but more importantly in the eternal life that is to come. It is a reality that many, myself included forget to ponder but should.Lots of love from the Frank Family to your family – MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
