Now that Christmas day has come and gone, we have lots to do.  Tossing out torn and shredded wrapping paper.  Tidying up the kitchen from stem to stern.  Sighing a whisper of relief that all went fairly well this time ’round!  Know what I mean?  No, you don’t.  Neither do we.  Not with blasted pandemic lockdowns shelving and nixing all our family gatherings!

Normally when holidays end, it’s off to the next one as far as planning and preparation goes.  Rarely look back.  When it’s over, it’s over.  Until I announce that it’s only 364 more days ’til Christmas.  All groan, hoping I’ll shut my big mouth.  Enough already!

But for Jesus’ mother, reflection time begins.  After all, Mary’s life becomes jam-packed.  Begins early, getting word that she’s pregnant when…well, you know.  Hoping that Joseph will stand by her.  He does, given time, good godly man that he is.

Mary then nests with older relatives, Elizabeth and Zechariah.  Near her term’s completion, it’s off to Bethlehem, an overcrowded town, offering only a back stable in which to bear and cradle her newborn son.

From there they journey to Jerusalem’s Temple to dedicate Jesus, where two elderly people speak one-for-the-book prophetic news.  Then, as if out-of-the-blue, they’re visited by curious characters from the East, who bring unexpected and precious gifts.

It’s after Christmas with activity still buzzing.  ‘But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart’ (Luke 2:19).  She doesn’t jump ahead, planning for the next whatever.  No, she stops, turning it all over in her mind.  Putting on her spiritual thinking cap.  Mulling it over.

That’s something for me.  To reflect on His birth a tad longer.  Reading Luke and Matthew’s birth accounts…at a snail’s pace.  Putting on the brakes.  Slowing down.  Not skipping ahead.  Letting this good news of Jesus percolate and seep through.  Even for an extra day or two.  I can do that.

Join me?  Would love the company!

Thank you, Lord God, for the gift of Jesus.  Amen.