Have
yourself a messy little Christmas… No, I
didn’t make a typo, but did an intentional rewrite of the first line of the Sam
Smith song.
The
first Christmas was not all neat and pretty like my beautiful Thomas Kinkade Nativity
display. For Mary and Joseph it was
noisy, stressful, and painful. Traveling
the 70 miles from Nazareth to Bethlehem (Joseph’s tribal village) to register
for the Roman ordered census was not an easy feat. The several day trip with the heavily
pregnant Mary riding on a donkey must have been an ordeal. As Joseph walked
beside her he was confronted with guiding them along a treacherous and rugged
uphill and downhill path. In the late fall and early winter, the weather would
have been very cold and rainy with no roadside inns to protect them from the
harsh conditions. They also faced the possibility of wild animals, bandits, and
robbers looking for easy prey. 
The
hope for a comfortable room at the inn at the end of the long journey did not
materialize. Instead, they found themselves in a stable that housed noisy,
smelly animals. The cold, quiet night was interrupted by Mary’s cries during
her painful labor as she delivered her first born son. Joseph had to lend a helping hand before the
parents and baby fell into an exhausted sleep.
Their
rest was soon interrupted by a heavenly choir, angels, and a visit from
neighboring shepherds who were the first to witness the newborn babe. What a
glorious and not so silent night it
must have been.
When
King Herod learned of the birth of the King of the Jews from the wise men,
Joseph & Mary fled with the infant to Egypt to escape the mandate by the
King that all boys under the age of two were to be slaughtered. There was
definitely no peace on earth for Jesus or anyone else in Judea during that traumatic time.
It
seems every year the month of December brings messy challenges to those of us
who hope to experience a Norman Rockwell or Hallmark Christmas. Weather
problems delay travel and can cause cancellations of long-awaited reunions. A
White Christmas can mean a disaster here in Georgia with roads too treacherous
for travel. We spent most of the past weekend
driving around in rainy, cold weather to fulfill some planned commitments. We
were glad for a warm house at the end of the day.
Nasty
viruses and the flu come to call more easily this time of year. All the hugs and well wishes can mean more
colds and bronchitis. Eating right and
lots of sleep can help, but it is no guarantee we will escape.
Family
issues seem to predominate this time of year.
Work hours, distance, and finances often keep our family from enjoying a
stress free holiday. It seems impossible to make a plan and stick to it.
Yes,
things can get messy, but after writing about the difficulties of the first
Christmas, I am much more thankful for all the blessings I enjoy. I will be
grateful for all the beautiful messy things that Christmas brings my way.
