Reflections on Christmas

I’m getting things figured out here in Marquette.  Cassie is happily adjusting to her new surroundings, and we are pretty much settled in for the holidays.  We are unpacked from the move, and I am unpacking this journey in words.

It hasn’t really sunk in yet, that we left our home for good.  This move happened so quickly, even though the decision was made almost a year ago.  It still seems like we are just on vacation.  

I think about the number of changes we have gone through in the past year:  having Cassie and becoming parents, quitting our jobs, selling all our stuff, and moving away from Tulsa which had been our home for 10 years.  We literally changed everything about our lives.  And then I think about what this next year will bring: Moving to another country, learning a new language, getting new jobs, finding an apartment, figuring out how to keep in touch with our families over the miles.  New foods, new culture... new everything. With a baby!

And all at once I am hushed.  Again full of wonder at the story of Jesus' birth.

At 9 months pregnant, I imagine Mary didn’t want to go to Bethlehem for the census, but that was not an option.  They were going, and that was that.  They took only what they could carry on their backs, not knowing how long they would need to stay, or when they would come home.  But if all went well, there would be three of them on the return trip.

The road was long, and hard on Mary’s aching back.  And when they finally made it to Bethlehem - a town bursting with their own relatives - no one would budge from their hotel room.  It was the stable for Mary and Joseph.  Anywhere out of the weather would have to do.  

And then Jesus was born.  All gooey and messy...  And beautiful.

Then, after all the shepherds, and angels, and wise men, Mary and Joseph packed up everything again, and headed to... Egypt.  They lived in Africa!  With a baby!  It was a new culture.  New food. New people. New language.  They had to figure out where to live, and how to buy groceries.  Joseph probably had to find carpentry work while they were there.  They were away from their families.  Jesus probably learned to speak a few words of Egyptian before they moved back to Israel.  But it was all part of the plan.  All part of the adventure. The messy, beautiful adventure.

We bought our plane tickets the other day.  And we will take whatever we can carry on our backs.  We have a hotel room that is a grand sight better than a stable. And in this new country we may feel uncomfortable at times, as we adjust.  We will probably use the wrong verb in Spanish more than once.  We will have to find new jobs, and figure out where to buy groceries. There will be bugs.  And monkeys.  This adventure might be messy.  But it will also be beautiful.  

“How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace,

Who bring glad tidings of good things!”