A journey

I've been scarce again this week as I've begun preparing in earnest for our trip north. I continue to be a bit overwhelmed by all the preparations required for travel and Christmas. With a new family member this year it's a bit harder to get it all done. I've begun to worry less about getting packed and more about making it safely and sanely. I worry about the weather we might encounter and about entertaining a baby who now wants to move about on a long, sixteen hour car drive.



That's when I began to remember that others before me have made journeys of their own. How worried must Mary have been as the birth of her special child approached? How scary to make a long and dangerous trek to Bethlehem so close to the end of her pregnancy? What fear must have gripped her when she realized that there was no place for them to stay and that she would in fact give birth to the Lord in a stable?



We watched the movie "The Nativity Story" this past weekend with the older girls. I heartily recommend it to those who haven't seen it yet. There are such stark contrasts between Mary's journey and ours. Lord willing we will make it in one long day. Mary's journey was much more arduous, lasting many days. We'll also be blessed with plentiful food, drink, and even t.v. as we travel. And finally, unlike Mary and Joseph, who arrived with little fanfare and no accomodations, we'll be greeted with celebration by many when we arrive and welcomed into comfort.



We are blessed indeed to make a journey to our own hometowns this Christmas.