Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all! I hope you all are beaming with the love of Christ in your hearts. My first thought Christmas Morning was "Awe, He is finally here!". All of the anticipation, expectation of the season can get the best of us but to know on Christmas morning that none of the shopping and craziness of the season matters anymore....the only thing that matters now is that baby Jesus was born to a poor family in Bethlehem.....and because of His Mother's "Yes" and His birth, we will live forever more.
I have missed writing on this blog, but have enjoyed a quiet journey of growing our fourth child in my womb. I am now seven months pregnant and my last trimester is always the hardest. I am digging deep within and praying for strength to get through the next two months. With each pain in my legs and stab in my back, I lift up prayers. In the middle of the night when all I want to do is sleep because my body hurts so much, I rise with strength from the Lord to tend to the child crying out for me. Each day has been a challenge of caring for three small children and another in my womb. But with each day, I feel I have grown closer to the Lord. I have cried out in pure exhaustion and have wondered why in the world we decided to be open to another baby.....all of the normal feelings a mother has through the suffering of caring for her flock. In prayer this morning, I feel the Holy Spirit placed on my heart that this home and family is my "soup kitchen". I pictured faithful people scooping up bowls of soup for the hungry and poor and then pictured me in constant (and I mean constant) service to my husband and children. There is no need for we mothers to think we have to be out in the community serving others, our perfect service for the Lord is within our homes.
The more I become closer to Jesus and desire nothing else but His holy will for my life, I realize that the road of His holy will is not easy. We are reminded this Christmas Season of the hard road that Mary and Joseph had in following His will. Aslo in the Passion, we see the hardest of roads taken by Christ Himself to follow God's holy will. We live in a society where everyone is looking for a life of luxury and the easy way out, but I can almost guarantee you this life is not what Christ desires for us. Sure, He wants us to be happy and live a good life but we are told in scripture that through suffering and hard times is where we grow the most in our Faith and where Jesus is closest to us. So no matter where you are in your life's journey, in the desert or in the rolling wheat fields, know that you are exactly where you are suppose to be at this very moment. Also, the persecution we receive in following God's will can be hard to take. I am so tired of the comments that come my way almost daily. "You are crazy! , Another, one? Seriously?" , "I have known you pregnant more than not pregant!", "Have you lost your mind?", "Are these all yours?", "Don't you know how to prevent this from happening?"....and the jabs keep on a comin'! My thought is that I only have four! These poor women who have 4+ children, I can't imagine what people have the nerve to say to them. It is so sad we live in such a anti-life society. Serving God and His kingdom can be hard to say the least, but know the reward is abundant after this short life on earth. It is through our service here on earth that merits our rewards in Heaven.
Off to take care of my flock! Blessings to you all this Christmas Season and New Year!
