Today, I am going to do something I have never done on this blog before. I am going to repost a post. Straight up copy and post an old post in here. But why?
Here's the thing about this silly little space I call mine. I remember all of my posts. There are little things that remind me of blogs that I have written in the past. Yesterday at church, I was reminded of this blog consistently during the sermon. Then, when Duck Dude and I were at our favorite restaurant, talking to our favorite restaurant later that day, I was reminded of it again.
So here is my post that I wrote exactly three years ago on December 23rd, 2014 and it's still applicable today.
This story has a build up.. I'll get to my point. Promise.
A few weeks ago I noticed my cousin, Josiah's, facebook status. Often around this time of the year you can hear the question being asked, "What's your favorite Christmas carol?" Josiah took this status a little further and asked, "What's your favorite verse from a Christmas carol?" I could not answer the question immediately and have been listening a lot more intently to the lyrics of each Christmas song I sing rather than just belting them out in my car. Then last week I was watching Glee's Christmas episode. I was really impressed that they ended the episode by reading the Christmas story. Not frosty the snowman.. but the real "In those days Ceasar Augustus..." Christmas story. This got me thinking that I had not read the real Christmas story this year. So after the episode was over, I pulled out my Bible and decided I would read it. As I was reading it the same thought hit me.. "what is my favorite verse from the Christmas story?" It's a story I've heard all my life, but if I wanted to pinpoint just one verse that was my favorite.. what would it be?
So I started at Luke 2 and re-read the story for a second time and just focused on every line. If was after I read through the second time that I decided to back up and start at Luke 1. During Luke 1 is when the angel of the Lord comes to Mary and tells her she is going to have a son. Now, I do not know about you, but if someone told me that as a virgin I was going to have a child... I would scream? cry? freak out? throw something? hide? I am not sure what I would do, but I doubt my response would have been like Marys. And this is why I've decided that Mary's response is my favorite verse of the Christmas story:
Normally, for my new year's resolution I pick a verse. This verse is one that I memorize and try and live by for the entire year. I still may do that, but I think my main new year's resolution this year is going to be to be more like Mary. To have an open and willing heart to do whatever service the Lord is asking of me.
A few weeks ago I noticed my cousin, Josiah's, facebook status. Often around this time of the year you can hear the question being asked, "What's your favorite Christmas carol?" Josiah took this status a little further and asked, "What's your favorite verse from a Christmas carol?" I could not answer the question immediately and have been listening a lot more intently to the lyrics of each Christmas song I sing rather than just belting them out in my car. Then last week I was watching Glee's Christmas episode. I was really impressed that they ended the episode by reading the Christmas story. Not frosty the snowman.. but the real "In those days Ceasar Augustus..." Christmas story. This got me thinking that I had not read the real Christmas story this year. So after the episode was over, I pulled out my Bible and decided I would read it. As I was reading it the same thought hit me.. "what is my favorite verse from the Christmas story?" It's a story I've heard all my life, but if I wanted to pinpoint just one verse that was my favorite.. what would it be?
So I started at Luke 2 and re-read the story for a second time and just focused on every line. If was after I read through the second time that I decided to back up and start at Luke 1. During Luke 1 is when the angel of the Lord comes to Mary and tells her she is going to have a son. Now, I do not know about you, but if someone told me that as a virgin I was going to have a child... I would scream? cry? freak out? throw something? hide? I am not sure what I would do, but I doubt my response would have been like Marys. And this is why I've decided that Mary's response is my favorite verse of the Christmas story:
Luke 1:38 states "'I am the Lord's servant', Mary answered. 'May your word to me be fulfilled.'"How many times in my life should I have said, God forget all my selfish, worldly desires... I am your servant. So my next step was to look up the exact definition of servant. Servant is defined as "a person in the service of another." And really, that is exactly what we are here on this earth for is to do the work and service of God. And I think it's pretty amazing that all of what we are supposed to live our lives by can be summed up into a 5 word statement. I am the Lord's servant.
Normally, for my new year's resolution I pick a verse. This verse is one that I memorize and try and live by for the entire year. I still may do that, but I think my main new year's resolution this year is going to be to be more like Mary. To have an open and willing heart to do whatever service the Lord is asking of me.
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