Spiritual Scrapbooking

"But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart."
Luke 2:19

This verse has been going over in my mind these last few days. I started asking myself some questions. First of all what exactly were "all these thing" and what exactly does the scripture mean when it says that Mary "pondered them in her heart"?

I'm guessing that maybe the "all these things" had to do with a sort of spiritual scrapbooking that started that chilly night in Bethlehem. I believe that young 14 or 15 year old teen age mother started right then tucking away little smells, smiles and sentiments that would weave the fabric of her mother's memory book for her firstborn son.

Pondering, according to the dictionary, means to "carefully consider for a period of time". I think I may have a handle on that one, too. My children range in age from 17 to 27. I have a pretty hefty supply of memories to "ponder"; grins and giggles, sandals and sneakers, band-aids and boyfriends, boxing gloves and skateboards, they're all in there tucked away safely in my mother's heart. One thing that I have recently been pondering is the distinctive smell of each of my babies' heads. To this day, no fragrance that I have ever smelled compares to the beautful scent of my children's little heads. Perhaps one of the things that Mary "pondered" the most was the smell of her boy.

I think I need to spend alot more time pondering--not just about my children although I do plenty of that. I need to do some serious pondering about my Savior.

Confession

"If we confess our sin, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9

Confession. To be perfectly honest, confession is not at the top of my 10 most favorite words list. My flesh prefers words like blessing, power, victory, strength, etc... When I meditate on the word confession my thoughts are forced toward humility, brokenness, and selflessness. My sinful nature doesn't like to go there. But guess what I've discovered? The Holy Spirit that dwells in me--He loves to go there! In fact, He wants me to live there!

Because I know I can rarely trust my own thoughts and perceptions, I am constantly asking the Lord to give me "His" perspective on what is going on in my life. When I do that, EVERYTHING changes! And do you know what else I've discovered? When I ask for His perspective then confession is a very powerful and necessary word in my life. At that point I realize something very mysterious happens. Confession leads to humility, brokenness and selflessness which in turn leads to blessing, power, victory and strength.

Confession. Maybe it should be at the top of my word list after all.

Eternity In Our Hearts

"He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end." Ecclesiastes 3:11

Ever felt like you just didn't really belong somewhere? Like all but one of the puzzle pieces fit--something just didn't feel completely right? Maybe that's how we as believers are supposed to feel about our brief journey through this life. Maybe it will never feel totally like home.

Back in the 70's BJ Thomas had a beautiful song called "Home Where I Belong"--

They say that heaven's pretty, and livin' here is too
But if they'd say that I would have to choose between the two
I'd go home. I'd go home where I belong

Sometimes when I'm dreamin' it comes as no suprise
That if you look and see that homesick feelin' in my eyes
I'm goin' home--goin' home where I belong.

And while I'm here I'll serve Him gladly
And sing Him all these songs
I'm here--but not for long

When I'm feelin' lonely and when I'm feelin' blue
It's such a joy to know that I am only passin' through
I'm going home, going home where I belong

One day I'll be sleepin' when death knocks on my door
And I'll awake to find that I'm not homesick anymore
'Cause I'll be home, I'll be home where I belong.

Yeah. See you at home!