Reopen the Gift

This morning at our church's women's ministry group the speaker talked with us about reopening the gift. The gift, being the Christmas story that we're all so familiar with that many times we don't put much thought into it. Our Christmases sometimes become much like the movie Groundhog Day, with the same routine happening over and over and over again. She showed us how The King was born in such an unkingly fashion and dug deeper into Mary's incredible faith. There's a lot to that story that we just don't engage with most of the time. She encouraged us to engage this Christmas, to take a different perspective, to reopen the gift. And I was encouraged and motivated to do that, feeling very sick and tired of the monotonous, drudgery of day-to-day life as a financially and more often than not emotionally struggling wife and mom and babysitter and ... Little did I know that motivation was going to be put to the test so soon.

When I put Surrey and Stella down for a nap just about an hour after I had heard that talk, I wrote an email to Jeremiah. To complain. I actually thought twice about interrupting his day with my whines, but then justified it because I know a couple friends who call or text their husbands when their child is a nut or they want to scream. Godly friends, too, so it's ok. So I wrote him...

Brianna Link	12:58 PM (52 minutes ago)
to Jeremiah

well so far this morning i've caught surrey's barf in my bare hand (a mixture of goldfish and lord knows what else) and bashed stella's head (actually i think her eye) against the car door by accident.

hope your day is looking a little better.

Note: Surrey just last night started coming down with a runny nose and cough for what seems like the 20th time this fall. Her barfing was all that backed up good stuff we get when we're congested, mixed with whatever the heck they fed her at snack time.

And he wrote me back...

Jeremiah F Link	1:02 PM (50 minutes ago)
to me

One of my students from last year committed suicide.  She was living in New York.  One of the kids I loved.  It is not looking better.  

And in a matter of four minutes the Lord redirected my perspective on everything. This is the second suicide, in addition to a murder of a student's father, that has occurred involving Jeremiah's students in a month's time.

I'm challenged to actually reopen the gift and engage with Jesus this Christmas. Choosing to realize the condition of myself and of the world around me and praising God for the gift of his son. Is it uncomfortable to hold my daughter's barf in my hand? Of course. Was it uncomfortable for Mary to give birth without an epidural, outdoors, alone? Was it uncomfortable for Jesus to be laid in a feeding trough and then die on a cross? Absolutely. Thank God Surrey has someone who loves her and can care for her - and thank God I opened the door at just the right minute to care for her and then hold her tight. And I can wash my hands and wash her clothes. But that student's life is gone. And that should be reason enough set myself aside, have eternal perspective, and love people like Jesus this Christmas.