Not Ready for Christmas

Christmas is a week away. In 7 days from now, it is Christmas. Oh dang.

I have my Christmas shopping done, I have my tree up and decorated and I even have my Christmas cards ready to put in the mail.

But I am not ready for Christmas.

I've been to church and followed our Advent story. I've sung the Christmas hymns and even sat down and played them myself. I've made Christmas cookies and wrapped presents.

But I am not ready for Christmas.

I'm not quite at the bah-humbug stage, but I was yet to catch the Christmas magic. Until Sunday. In church we talked about Mary, the mother of Jesus. And no matter how much of a Scrooge or a Grinch I'm being, she always gets me. And to be fair, Mary had 9 months to get ready for Christmas, we only get 4 weeks of Advent. But when I stop and think about Mary, the bah-humbug's go away. She was probably no more than 16 years old. She and Joseph were so in love, I'm sure you could see them giggling and holding hands anytime they were together. She was ready to get married and be a wife, but then the Angel Gabriel shared a change of plans with her. And now this teenager's biggest concern was not whether or not to have chicken or beef at the wedding, but how in the world she is going to raise the SON OF GOD! I mean, the Messiah, the One they've been waiting for! The one they've been expecting!! SHE would be the mother of their Savior. Wow.

I imagine in the moment when she was talking to the Angel Gabriel, her faith in God was not just a belief or a hope, it was absolute fact. As real as the ground she walked on and the air she breathed. But then, the Angel left. And she still remained, and now had to share this good news with the people she loved. I know that Mary was highly favored by God, otherwise how do you share that news without sounding crazy? "Hey, Joseph-honey. I'm pregnant with the Messiah." or "Guess what Mom and Dad! You remember the Messiah that we've been waiting for all these years? I'm going to give birth to him in 9 months!" Unless you are truly favored by God, there is just no way to say that and have anyone believe you!

She understood the magic of Christmas, the outpouring of God's love into a form so real that no one could deny it, but yet in the form of a tiny little baby. Now, I've lost my chance to be an unwed pregnant teenager like Mary, and I'm not really that sad to see it go, but just thinking about her fills me with the awe and wonder that is God's love. She didn't just believe in God, she knew God.

Now, I'm ready for Christmas.


And just for a fun little Christmas anecdote. Hymn #210, Good Christian Friends, Rejoice can be a bit tricky. The last line of the first verse is, "Christ is born today" and the last line of the last verse is "Christ was born to save." When most of the choir sings the right verse and says, "Christ is born today" but a couple alto's sing the wrong verse and say, "Christ was born to save" it ends up sounding like "Christ was born Tuesday." And well, this year, the alto's were right.