Joseph and Mary, What A Night!
Many people ask me why I am so into Christmas. With me it is an incredibly special time of year which I look forward to all year long. If you ask any of my Facebook friends, they might tell you I can be just a little bit annoying posting reminders of how long is left till Christmas all the way out in March. I suspect one or two has even hidden my comments so they no longer appear on their pages, and to them I say, Merry Christmas anyway.
This Christmas Eve, I'd like you to consider for a moment the traditional story of Joseph and Mary as they headed to Bethlehem. For the sake of not having 500 messages following this post of people who "believe" and those who don't tearing each other limb from limb in the comments, I would like to ask that you take the story at its face value, just for the sake of this post. Just the story of a guy and his very pregnant wife on their way to his ancestral home to of all things, be counted on a census and get taxed. I guess even back then, politics were stupid. Good to know some things don't change right?
So here are Joseph and Mary, making their way to this small town. The story tells us she was riding a donkey. It eludes to the fact they were a very modest family with little to no financial resources. I don't know about you, but if any of you fathers out there remember when your wives or girlfriends were pregnant with your first child, it is a scary time. It is even scarier when you have no means to care for them. Single moms know this feeling far too well as well.
Then they arrive to Bethlehem, and the traditional story tells us all the hotels and rental rooms were full that night. I suspect Mary may have been going into labor already and feeling the sharp pains only a woman can handle. I can imagine the frustration and fear in Joseph's heart as he desperately tried to figure out what to do. So when the inn-keeper recommended the manger, I'm sure Joseph was like "we'll take it!"
I honestly can't imagine the flood of emotions he must have felt that night, but I suspect I have felt similar emotions. I bet he sorta felt a little bit like a failure that he didn't have more money to care for his family better. I can surely relate to that feeling. When my boys were babies, I was working three part-time jobs, plus working in the Army full time, and trying to earn my Masters degree. I'm not saying that to try to impress you, but to note, the fear of failing my family was so great, that I was willing to do whatever I had to do to take care of them. And I did. Just like Joseph.
I bet Mary was terrified as she felt those labor pains. She knew what was coming and knew her surroundings weren't ideal to give birth. I can only imagine she loved and trusted that Joseph would stay by her side and help her through it, no matter what. And maybe that was a small comfort in a very difficult situation.
We all know what happened next in the story, the baby is born, angels come to praise, three wise men, and the story of Jesus of Nazareth begins. Again, this post isn't about religion, but about this beautiful couple and their struggle on that night.
I think I am especially touched this time of year as I remember the traditional story of Jesus' birth because I have struggled. There were years as a married couple, my wife and I didn't have two nickels to rub together. There were Christmases where had it not been for the charity and kindness of others, we couldn't have bought a single gift for the kids. Yet if you ask my kids, they will only remember that every Christmas they have ever celebrated was amazing to them. It was magical. They'll tell you they got everything they wanted. My kids are pretty low maintenance and are actually very happy with whatever they get. But if you peel the layers back, I hope what they enjoy most about every Christmas in our home, is that we try to emulate the togetherness Mary and Joseph demonstrated that night, the hope they must have placed on their brand new baby, the love they must have felt for each other. There has regularly been a lack of "money" in the Velazquez household over the years, but there has always been an abundance of love.
And so, for those of you who know how much I love and cherish Christmas, now you know why. Home is where the heart is, regardless of the surroundings. Just as I celebrated Christmases with my single mom as a little boy, sitting around a cheap thrift shop tinsel tree she bought for a dollar and brought home to the projects for us to decorate with homemade decorations, I have continued to celebrate and teach my children that the real reason for the season is Love. Loving each other, cherishing each other, rededicating ourselves to our family and friends and even those we don't know. Christmas inspires me to be a better husband, a better friend, a better human being. It reminds me of how powerful hope really is and how much power we have within ourselves to make the world a better place, even if it is small acts of kindness to our fellow man and woman.
Today as you celebrate Christmas Eve and ring in Christmas Day 2013, I wish you happiness, health, joy, lotsa laughs and love. If you don't celebrate Christmas, I wish you those things just the same. Today is a day to cherish all those things which matter to us, the things money can't buy. Today is a day to hope for new and brighter beginnings. I don't know where your story will lead in 2014, but I hope today, it begins to move in the direction of your goals and desires. Thanks for indulging me and my silly story dear friends. Merry Christmas.
This Christmas Eve, I'd like you to consider for a moment the traditional story of Joseph and Mary as they headed to Bethlehem. For the sake of not having 500 messages following this post of people who "believe" and those who don't tearing each other limb from limb in the comments, I would like to ask that you take the story at its face value, just for the sake of this post. Just the story of a guy and his very pregnant wife on their way to his ancestral home to of all things, be counted on a census and get taxed. I guess even back then, politics were stupid. Good to know some things don't change right?
So here are Joseph and Mary, making their way to this small town. The story tells us she was riding a donkey. It eludes to the fact they were a very modest family with little to no financial resources. I don't know about you, but if any of you fathers out there remember when your wives or girlfriends were pregnant with your first child, it is a scary time. It is even scarier when you have no means to care for them. Single moms know this feeling far too well as well.
Then they arrive to Bethlehem, and the traditional story tells us all the hotels and rental rooms were full that night. I suspect Mary may have been going into labor already and feeling the sharp pains only a woman can handle. I can imagine the frustration and fear in Joseph's heart as he desperately tried to figure out what to do. So when the inn-keeper recommended the manger, I'm sure Joseph was like "we'll take it!"
I honestly can't imagine the flood of emotions he must have felt that night, but I suspect I have felt similar emotions. I bet he sorta felt a little bit like a failure that he didn't have more money to care for his family better. I can surely relate to that feeling. When my boys were babies, I was working three part-time jobs, plus working in the Army full time, and trying to earn my Masters degree. I'm not saying that to try to impress you, but to note, the fear of failing my family was so great, that I was willing to do whatever I had to do to take care of them. And I did. Just like Joseph.
I bet Mary was terrified as she felt those labor pains. She knew what was coming and knew her surroundings weren't ideal to give birth. I can only imagine she loved and trusted that Joseph would stay by her side and help her through it, no matter what. And maybe that was a small comfort in a very difficult situation.
We all know what happened next in the story, the baby is born, angels come to praise, three wise men, and the story of Jesus of Nazareth begins. Again, this post isn't about religion, but about this beautiful couple and their struggle on that night.
I think I am especially touched this time of year as I remember the traditional story of Jesus' birth because I have struggled. There were years as a married couple, my wife and I didn't have two nickels to rub together. There were Christmases where had it not been for the charity and kindness of others, we couldn't have bought a single gift for the kids. Yet if you ask my kids, they will only remember that every Christmas they have ever celebrated was amazing to them. It was magical. They'll tell you they got everything they wanted. My kids are pretty low maintenance and are actually very happy with whatever they get. But if you peel the layers back, I hope what they enjoy most about every Christmas in our home, is that we try to emulate the togetherness Mary and Joseph demonstrated that night, the hope they must have placed on their brand new baby, the love they must have felt for each other. There has regularly been a lack of "money" in the Velazquez household over the years, but there has always been an abundance of love.
And so, for those of you who know how much I love and cherish Christmas, now you know why. Home is where the heart is, regardless of the surroundings. Just as I celebrated Christmases with my single mom as a little boy, sitting around a cheap thrift shop tinsel tree she bought for a dollar and brought home to the projects for us to decorate with homemade decorations, I have continued to celebrate and teach my children that the real reason for the season is Love. Loving each other, cherishing each other, rededicating ourselves to our family and friends and even those we don't know. Christmas inspires me to be a better husband, a better friend, a better human being. It reminds me of how powerful hope really is and how much power we have within ourselves to make the world a better place, even if it is small acts of kindness to our fellow man and woman.
Today as you celebrate Christmas Eve and ring in Christmas Day 2013, I wish you happiness, health, joy, lotsa laughs and love. If you don't celebrate Christmas, I wish you those things just the same. Today is a day to cherish all those things which matter to us, the things money can't buy. Today is a day to hope for new and brighter beginnings. I don't know where your story will lead in 2014, but I hope today, it begins to move in the direction of your goals and desires. Thanks for indulging me and my silly story dear friends. Merry Christmas.
Comments
Post a Comment