Dear Reader:

Yesterday the blog decided to take me on a trip. I was reading an article which lead to another thought and article involving a poem which lead to a song and painting. When these days occur…I just keep typing and let the story tell itself.

It started with an article called “How Do You Live if You know You are Going to Die?” The author (Blanche Hartman) recalls a time when she, a minister, went to be with a friend who was dying and was surprised to hear this response from her friend.

“Well, Jenny, it looks like you’re going to find out about the great mystery before Pete and I do.” She was on a hospital bed in her room, but she jumped up and threw her arms around my neck and said, “Blanche! It’s all about love and joy!” 

We are judged by the amount of love and joy we bring others in our lifetime…by our actions.

As I was contemplating this thought from the article…. I read a comment from someone else about the same article (at the bottom of the page) and he made an interesting link…to another poem  A Summer Day by Mary Oliver. (While playing with a grasshopper the author makes this life observation.)

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What do we plan to do with “our one wild and precious life”? Shouldn’t our lives (like Blanche’s friend said) be about bringing love and joy into the world?

Isn’t that what every mother hopes her newborn child will do…that love and joy will become actions? When mothers look into their newborn faces…don’t we all see the Face of God staring back at us? The miracle of birth. Isn’t this the true Christmas Story wrapped up with a bow? Jesus came to bring love and joy into a “weary world” and our world has never been the same again.

And isn’t the light of Jesus, reflecting on us, suppose to show us His example of spreading this light of joy and love to to others?

While gazing through many of the early famous paintings of the scene of Jesus’ birth in the manager… a pattern emerges. There is always a light radiating from the newborn to His mother Mary…making her face luminous with the light of joy.

There are also angels in many of the paintings…and children which I find quite comforting. In this painting it was explained that only the cow and oxen could gaze fully upon the Christ Child…since as animals they had never sinned. (Interesting thought)

Finally…my “Christmas Scavenger Hunt” brought me full circle to one of my favorite Christmas songs…”Mary Did You Know?” The questions are asked how much Mary knew concerning the future of her Son at the time of His birth. Like most mothers…I imagine she prayed for love and joy to follow her Son. And oh…how love and joy did!

SO UNTIL TOMORROW….JESUS BROUGHT LOVE AND JOY INTO THE WORLD BY HIS PRESENCE…AT CHRISTMAS TIME DON’T YOU THINK THAT IS WHAT WE SHOULD OFFER OTHERS? OURSELVES?

“TODAY IS MY FAVORITE DAY”  WINNIE THE POOH