Keepin' It Real...

Reflecting on the meaning of Christmas for me, I smell hay, and imagine a baby. What must our Savior have looked like? Did he have lots of hair, or hardly any? Was he a chubby baby, or one of those scrawny babies that you worry about? Did he look into Mary's eyes, or was he sleepy from his journey?

I know this may seem like trivial stuff. But somehow I want to feel how real those moments at his birth were. Those are the things I thought about as a new mother. I remember holding my daughter's hand. It was so chubby! We called her 'the Michelan Baby' because of all her rolls of fat. Those were precious moments, and I can't imagine the shear awe of Mary's first moments with her King.

Jesus was born to bear our burdens, take our place in death, and it all began so quietly on a starry night in Bethlehem. Lord, please help me to capture the wonder of that night in my heart. Please help me to forget about presents, preparations, crowds, and things that take my eyes off the precious manger. May the true meaning of Christmas sing it's song in my soul!