The Gift of Quiet Reflection
Luke 2:19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.
Christmas time is always a joyful time full of activity. There are many activities we look forward to and enjoy!
There are many pre-Christmas traditions that we have taken on as a family. On one evening the school presents their Christmas Concert. On a Saturday leading up to Christmas the school hosts a huge school Christmas Fair which includes the donation of 12 dozen cookies and other baked goods. Another evening holds the Christmas piano recital. There is the usual Christmas shopping and wrapping of gifts. Both work and friends plan special Christmas gatherings. We always look forward to visiting with my family and parents over Christmas day. The cousins have such fun together! These are all joyous events which are often added onto the regular happenings: piano lessons, ringette practices, ringette games, bible studies and youth group meetings. Christmas is a wonderful time of the year, but it tends to be very busy.
When the boys were young, they were such a busy bunch. They are constantly moving, doing and getting into things. It seems as if the boys have two settings: go fast or stop.
One year, as we were preparing to head down to visit my family, one of the boys came to me and said, “Mom, I’m not feeling so good”. He promptly deposited his breakfast at my feet. After clean up, I tucked him into bed to rest. Throughout the day, the same fate fell upon the other boys. A phone call to my family rescheduled Christmas plans. My husband and I woke up to a strangely quiet and peaceful Christmas morning.
There was space to sit and contemplate what God was doing in our lives and in our family. There was time to reflect on the gift that God has given in His Son. There was a quietness to fill with worship.
Overall, Christmas still happened. Everyone received their Christmas gifts. We still visited with family later in the week. It just looked a little different than usual. It can be disappointing when plans change, but it can also be a gift.
God’s gift to me that Christmas was space and time to experience Emmanuel, "God with us".
Written by Wendy Stirbet