oh little town

The town is covered in lights as the tourists are piling in for a quick snapshot. The parades fill the streets with marching and the beating of drums. The world looks at our little town for a brief time with comfortable joyous tradition.

I think about the way it must have been for Mary, traveling through this town, and stopping in to birth a child. We can glamorize it with cute nativities but lets be real, this must have been rough. I wonder what went through her mind that night as she trusted her sweet husband's lead and faith in the Lord. And here I am complaining when I have to walk a few blocks to the market and I have a place to stay when I get back.

I keep hearing the Christmas story from the Bible this week at different celebrations and events and every time this scripture is read this verse keeps popping out at me:

Luke 2:19

"But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart."

And so this week my goal has been to treasure up all these things that remind my heart of Jesus and to keep my focus on the simplicity of his birth and the beautiful daily grace it brings into my life.