sending Christmas love to all the mothers out there

Perhaps one of my favorite quotes from this Christmas was from my sister Charity on her Instagram account:

“The Christmas birth story reminds us that the most sacred and the most significant can come from the most challenging and the most uncomfortable.“

I believe it is so true.

Sometimes the “magic” happens in the messiness, and often in the midst of the quite uncomfortable.

We just need to seek to see it there. Because it’s really all around us as my favorite Brian Krishisnik painting depicts so beautifully above.

Heaven is swirling around us, and it’s there for the taking.

So, to all you mothers out there who are scrambling to make ends meet,

To buy one last gift,

To rub pennies together or prop your eyes open long enough to make the Christmas magic happen,

To cheer that one forgotten neighbor,

To mend that teenager’s broken heart,

To fix one more meal to feed those constantly hungry bellies in your home,

I bring you good tidings of great joy:

God is awake.

And I believe He will make up the difference if we can’t get to all the “things.”

Because sometimes the “things” that we worry about in the hustle and bustle aren’t the most important things.

I believe we will find Him helping to close the gaps when we perk up our hearts to listen.

We’ll hear His whisperings in the wrappings.

And in the chaos of the gatherings.

And in the smile of a stranger when we stop long enough to “see” them.

And yes, even in the messy dishes piled high and dinner we are scraping off the counter.

He came in that little stable all those years ago to be with us in the middle of all of it.

Here and now.

May we remember that this Christmas.