Tripping Over Typeset

One of my favorite things to do at Christmas time is curl up on the couch, sip hot cocoa, dim the lights and let the Christmas tree’s light fill the dark space.  My mind quiets down and I begin to ponder.

That word ponder always reminds me of the Bible verse in Luke 2 where it says, “But Mary pondered these things…”  

I like the wording of our kid’s version Bible — “Mary kept all these things like a secret treasure in her heart. She thought about them over and over.” (NIRV)

What was Mary thinking on that evening?

I can imagine Mary pondering…

• What a journey we’ve been on!
• Look where we are now!
• What’s our future with this baby going to look like?

We’ve all been there in those quiet moments when our thoughts travel back to earlier days and Christmas past.

Every year I have a little routine when I unpack my ornaments for the tree.  There are a few special ones that always get a little more attention and care.

This one I made in my kindergarten class. I was 5 years old and my biggest concern was whether my friend and I were going to make it all the way to her house by twirling the whole way.  It was our challenge day after day. I once made it from school to her house and even beyond to my own house — twirling all the way.

My days were full of play and never too much worry.

I look at my younger self and thank God for being with me through all these years. Even in my tough teen years and all those days of trying to figure myself out… He was faithful and brought me through to this place in my journey now.

Another ornament that is special to me, I’ve now had for 15 years.

I bought it at my hometown’s Jay Drug Store.  I still go there every time I’m home for an old-fashioned chocolate malt with extra malt.

But on that day of shopping for ornaments, no malts were on my agenda nor did I have the appetite to stomach one.

My mother was dying and that Christmas was to be our last with her on this earth. I wanted something special to remember.

Each year I hold this one close and my thoughts go to days with her. I think about her journey — our journey together — and now my journey beyond her.  I miss her always and each Christmas I whisper, “Merry Christmas, Mom” as I hang this on the tree.

It’s the moments when we slow down long enough to remember…  It’s the pondering of our journey — where we’ve come from and what has brought us here that reminds us of His love.

My newest ornament is my ‘Q’.

Now that we’ve been in our home for almost 2 years, that amazing feeling of living here is still with me.  Multiple times a week I still say, I love my house and I love where we live.

It’s been a journey of His blessings. His grace has brought us to this place and I’m continually thankful.

I’ve re-decorated my mud room and one wall is covered in ‘Q’s. It’s my Quigley wall and I’m always happy when I find another Q.  This ornament reminds me that today… God has brought us to this place.

These ornaments are a reminder of our journey. These are those things that we store away like secret treasures and think about over and over.

One day I’d love to ask Mary what she pondered and I’m guessing it might be similar things.

• JOURNEY
• BLESSINGS
• FAITHFULNESS

This Christmas season, take some time to slow down, quiet the noise, and ponder the faithfulness of God.  Unpack them like a secret treasure in your heart… think about them over and over.

*******************************

Linking up with: #HeartEncouragment,