Do You Think Mary Knew?

My all time favorite Christmas song is "Mary Did You Know?" by Mark Lowry. If you are not familiar with this song you MUST find it online and listen to it. It is powerful. It is breathtaking. It will change your life.
I've been pondering the lyrics this morning, struck by their depth and truth. Especially now that I am a mother. I have delivered my babies, I have kissed their faces, I have held them tightly and swaddled them.
The first thing that blows my mind when I think about this song is that God saw it fitting to send his only son to this earth as a baby. Why not just as a man? Or even a boy? Why was it necessary for Jesus to grow inside of a woman, be born as any other human on earth (in a stable non the less), and grow into a man? I think it's because it makes him relatable. He is just like the rest of us.
Then, I start thinking about Mary. Did she know? I mean, did she fully comprehend the fact that this tiny baby she birthed, nursed, held, kissed, played with, delighted in, was the Lord of all Creation? Did she know that one day he would rule the nations?
I can't even imagine how it felt to be her. To be holding the Son of God and loving him as her own child, but also knowing that he was so much more that that. What a responsibility to be given.


"Mary did you know, that when you kiss your little baby, you have kissed the face of God?"

Childlike Wonder

I had a couple errands to run this afternoon, so I bundled up the kids and we headed out on our way. Both of my kids are such troopers when it comes to errands; they hardly ever fuss or whine or complain while out and about, which is such a blessing. I think one reason is because they are just easy going people by nature, but I also don't cart them around with me all over kingdom come. I make it a point to only plan one or two outings at a time, and make sure they are always rested and fed before going out. All that to say, my children are almost always delightful to have with me when I run my errands.
Today we made a trip to Lowes and Michaels, which are in the same shopping center, so we were able to walk a bit in the warm sun and splash in the puddles of melting snow. While in line at the check out at Michaels, Declan was happily perusing a display of Christmas themed gift card holders. There was one that was a square tin box with a snowman on it that he was eyeing. Now, I am not the kind of person to buy my son every little thing he has is eye on. For one thing, I can't afford it, and for another, I don't want him to think that he gets everything and anything he wants whenever he wants it. But, it was a really cute box and he was so excited about it, and it was only a dollar, and it's Christmas time...so I bought it for him. Now, here is the point of this whole story.
As we left the store he was holding the box in his little hands and I heard him sigh and say, "This is a wonderful day."

I stopped dead in my tracks. Oh. My. Goodness. Did I just hear what I thought I heard? Yep. Yes I did.
I immediately started laughing in delight because that was such an awesome and unexpected response! I knelt down, hugged and kissed him, and told him I loved him. And then, I felt like crying. Even now, as I type this, I feel like crying. My sweet, precious two year old son was able to find something so many of us can't:
...pure joy in the simplest of circumstances...

If only I could be just as excited about something so ordinary. To be able to find the wonder, the excitement, the happiness, and the contentment in the smallest, most common of life's occurrences. If only I could see what he sees, with his unadulterated mind...
How different would my life be?