I can’t really get my mind around the concept. It’s too big for my brain. My heart can’t contain it. Even my most intense moods can’t describe what eternity feels like.

But eternity is real. Not that I’ve experienced it. Not that I’ve conceived it’s extent. But the reality of eternity has been revealed to us.

How? In God himself. In the universe that He has made. And in the words that He has given to us in the Bible.

Perhaps my favorite Bible passage comes from the prophet Isaiah. God has revealed his eternal nature to us in these words which first came to the nation of Israel in the 700′s B.C.

“A voice says, ‘Cry!’

And I said, ‘What shall I cry?’

All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field.

The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the LORD blows on it; surely the people are grass.

The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.”

Isaiah 40:6-8 (ESV)

Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name.  Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His blessings, Who forgive all your guilt, who heals every one of your ills, who redeems your life from the grave, who crowns you with love and compassion; who fills your life with good things, renewing your youth. like an eagle’s. Give thanks to the Lord, all His works, in every place where He rules.

Performed by the second-graders, all three of our kids have now had their roles. That’s Julia, mangerside.

I always wonder if an ANGEL talked to me, would I follow a star like the WISE MEN? Would I have MARY’S unblinking faith? And I now know each of our children fills a different role in our family.

Dec 2011

Tonight, Caroline was an angel. She is an angel, our Caroline. Sweet, quiet, quick and witty, cuddly and yet independent. And can she sing! She doesn’t remember it, but at 4 months old, she was Baby Jesus in another pageant.

Dec 2003

Matthew was one of the three wise men. He does follow stars. He’d have been first to the manger to check it all out–and he’d be content to take a different route home. Our Matty is also smart, funny, sporty and very generous. And he does like a little bling.

Dec 2007

Julia was Mary. Amazing women, those two. Julia is brave, serenely lovely, feisty and intelligent. 

Dec 2006

Mary is my #1 mentor, and always impresses me. She gets a visit from an angel (!) who tells her she’s going to have God’s Son. And she signs on!

My favorite Bible passage in The Christmas Story is “But Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart” (Luke, 2:19). I love how it shows her using her memory, affection and intellect. And grace.

Everyone else is blabbing all over the countryside about the arrival of Baby Jesus. Not his mom. She’s quietly reflecting on becoming a mother (Mother of God, no less). She knows that every person’s history is first written on her or his mother’s heart. It’s a uniquely inner experience, and in a tiny way, I relate.

I often wonder if an angel approached me with a request, What would I do? Fully open my heart and truly listen? Have faith as deep as Mary and sign on?

Then I realize angels do approach me often: their names are Julia, Matt and Cara. And hopefully like Mary, I sign on with unblinking faith. I do know I ponder things in my heart.

Merry, Mary Christmas!