Monthly Archives: December 2013

Wake up!

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God really wanted me to wake up this morning.  I first woke up at 5:40 am and thought to myself, I should get up and read the Bible or my devotional, but I felt too tired so I rolled over and went back to sleep.  I woke up again at 6:03 am and again rolled over to go back to sleep.  Finally at 6:10 am, I had to get up because the alarm in the girls bedroom went off and was blasting NPR all over the house.  I took this as a sign that God was not taking “No” for an answer this morning 🙂  Thankfully none of the girls woke up… I’m not sure how they slept through it, but they did!

I think what I took from all of this was a reminder not to get swept away by the wrong things this Christmas.  The last few days have been a little hectic as I have been preparing for Christmas, sending cards, shopping, cooking, wrapping, cleaning, etc. I haven’t found much time to sit in peace and quiet and just listen.

I want to listen during this Holy time.  I want to sit in peace and think of our Savior, His Mother, His earthly Father and His Holy Birth.  I want to be moved to depths of my soul as I reflect on Him.

Thank you my Loving and Heavenly Father for nudging me awake this morning.  Please help me to keep You always in my sight and to stay awake!

Listen carefully my friends, He might be trying to wake you up too!

Eat, drink and… be Mary!

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This is the time of year when we are celebrating, we are throwing parties, we are attending parties and we are being “MERRY”!

A few years ago we threw a Christmas party and our invitation read, “Come, eat, drink and be merry!”  I was thinking about this today because we wanted to throw a party this year, but I didn’t get around to planning it.  When I thought about the invitation we sent a few years ago, I paused on the phrase “be merry”, in my head I changed it to, “be Mary”.

Did “be merry” originate from “be Mary”?

Rather than research the actual origins of this phrase, tonight I would rather come up with my own story!

Maybe years ago when friends were toasting and celebrating together during the Christmas season, they really did use the phrase, “Eat, drink and be Mary!”, with the intention and the prayer that they themselves as well as their friends would live as Mary did, full of faith in God and consumed with love for Jesus!

I pray during this Christmas season and the year to come, that we will all “be Mary”, living like Mary full of faith in God and consumed with love for Jesus!

Be Mary, my friends, be Mary!

What was Mary doing on this night… so long ago?

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A few nights ago at dinner I was talking with the girls about Mary and Joseph.  I told them about the census and the need for Mary and Joseph to travel to Bethlehem right before Jesus was born.  We talked about how we prepare for a trip when we travel versus how Mary and Joseph must have prepared for their trip.

It was a great conversation and the girls loved talking about it.  After dinner I didn’t really think about it again, but the girls haven’t stopped thinking about it.

Every night since our first discussion they have been asking me what Mary and Joseph were doing that night in preparation for their journey.  I love these questions because they have forced me to sit down and reflect on what Mary and Joseph were doing each night as they prepared for their journey and for a new baby.

I think tonight I will tell the girls that Mary might have been mending the clothing and blankets that they would bring on the journey.

Jesus thank You again for these sweet blessings in my life who help me keep my focus on You, especially during this wonderful Christmas season as we anxiously await Your birth!

Pray for our leaders!

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I am reading The Book of my Life by Saint Teresa of Avila translated by Mirabai Starr.

I just read the following passage by Saint Teresa of Avila, only a short 30 min after I readily joined in a conversation complaining about the politicians, leaders and the media in our country.

If some of our leaders have gone bad, the good people shine even more brightly.  May it please God to hold such souls in His hand and help them to help us. Amen.

If only we could all remember this each time we are faced with an opportunity to complain about our leaders.

Jesus please help me remember this the next time this choice presents itself.