Mary...a story about Jesus' mother

My name is Mary.I'ld had a very normal life until I was a teenager. Being born in Nazareth, a long time ago, my mother taught me to cook, bake, and clean the house. We girls didn't go to school. Only the boys went. I liked boys, but I never had a boyfriend. My parents were very protective. My girlfriends started getting married when they were 15 years old . Weddings were so much fun. Lots of dancing, eating and drinking homemade wine. BTW did I tell you that I am a Jew and that Nazareth is in northern Israel ? At one of those weddings, I saw Mr Handsome !I eyed him across the way and he eyed me. ME !! Oh, how my heart flipped. I could hear my heart pounding. Of course, we didn't meet then, because women and men were separated at weddings. Women danced with women and men with men. I asked my mother what Mr. Handsome's name was. It's JOSEPH ! What a dream. His hair, his eyes, his nose! I found out later, that Joseph asked his father what my name was. So, it began. Joseph's father came to my father to discuss....ME!! Suddenly, I was engaged. Engaged to be married ! Engagement was still a time of protective watchful eye of my father. Not like today. And then abruptly, my life changed. Abruptly! I was going about my daily business, when an Angel came into the room that I was in, at my father's house. I had never seen an Angel and it wasn't a normal thing to see angels. The Angel's name was Gabriel. He told me that I would be pregnant, but not from Joseph. I would be pregnant before the wedding and carry the Son of the Highest, the Son of God. I was shocked and full of fear. I questioned the Angel. How can that be true ? I'm a virgin. The Angel said that the Holy Ghost would do this, and that the power of the Highest would overshadow me. Suddenly , I was different from other girls. Oh ! Oh No ! What will Joseph think ? He' ll break the engagement. What will my parents think? The Angel comforted me and at last I said" God's will be done". But...What am I going to tell Joseph ? The next day I saw Joseph. We were able to talk privately and I simply said, " Joseph, I'm pregnant!" "WHAT? WHAT? What do you mean ? What have you done ?This can't be! You have ruined me !You have ruined our future !You have ruined yourself !" "Joseph, I have not slept with a man. God did it!" " God doesn't do such things. Goodbye Mary. Goodbye ." He left! Of course he was upset...even angry ! But God did this ! I have not sinned. Please, God. Fix things for me. For Us ! My heart broke. Joseph's heart was broken.Our lives shattered. Shattered ! The next news that came to me was that Joseph somehow planned to break our engagement, without publicly hurting me. That break was easier said than done.Everyone and his motherknew we were engaged. The next day, Joseph ran up the street to my house, and ran into the house without knocking. He did't even take off his shoes! I was in the back yard, hanging up the laundry. He ran through the house yelling, "Mary, Mary, where are you ? Mary!" " She's outside in the back" said my Mother, who was totally shocked at Joseph's outburst. Joseph ran outside and grabbed my shoulders, and of all things, in public, and before our marriage, he hugged me! He was shouting and crying and out of his usual calm self! "Mary, Mary, guess what? I should have believed you! An angel came to me last night and said that the Holu Ghost caused your pregnancy. This baby is the Messiah. The One all the prophets said would come! God has chosen you, Mary, to bear this baby ! And I am going to raise Him with you. We will get married as soon as possible." An Angel came to Joseph! Wow. So much has happened in the last few days! I was going to get married. Then I wasn't going to get married. And now I will be married in a few days! God sure has a way of making life exciting. We were married shortly after that. Eight months later, we had to go to Bethlehem to be taxed. It was a long , arduous trip for me, being so big with child. When we got there, the only place we could find to stay, was a stable. Rather unusual ! Soon, I had contractions. Pain, oh, such pain! No one told me what birth would be like. We didn't talk about such private things. The hours of labour paind seemed like days! At last, with Joseph's comfort and kind words, I gave birth to a healthy, rather slimy baby boy. No one else was at the actual birth, so Joseph had to cut the umbilical cord. He helped me with so much that a midwife would usually have done. Yes, no one else was there at first. But, after awhile, the most unusual visitors came. Shepherds from nearby and Wise Men from very far away in the East. The Shepherds worshipped Jesus, and The Wise Men did too. The Wise Men had come prepared with gifts. ..Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh. Such strange gifts for a newborn. So many more things - miraculous things - happened to me in my life. I am so Thankful to The Lord, to have been chosen to be the Mother of Jesus. Thankyou, Lord !!

Time

A Time to sew A Time not to sew A Time to write A Time not to write A Time of being young A Time of being old A Time of learning A Time of teaching A Time to pray A Time not to pray A Time to reflect A Time to act A Time to do A Time to rest A Time to understand others A Time to try to understand A Time to be gracious A Time to set boundaries A Season for this A Season for that All set in God's Purpose

Children

So many colors of children So many shapes of faces of limbs

of bodies So many colors of hair of eyes So many shapes of noses of fingers What a joy they bring laughter teasing joking And yes, problems at times Yet, such a treasure such a Blessing Let's enjoy them While we can

All about ME

 Is it all about YOU?

or is it All about HIM?

Are you glorifying SELF ?

or Glorifying HIMSELF ?

Hopes

 I've come to give you Hope

I've come to give you Life

I've come to give you Freedom

   OH

       BUT

Do you want it

   Do you want my Gifts

   Why do you run away

     Where will you go ?

I've Come

   I've Come

      I've waited

         and waited

To Give

   Give

      and Give

But you run away

   From ME

   The Life- Giver

Wishes

 I'll give you three wishes, the Genie said

Three wishes for you, oh don't be afraid

Bid me, oh bid me, to do what you ask

love to give wishes, For this is my task

Do you want fame and fortune, Do you want bread and wine

Do you want to have Beauty, With Princes to dine

Do you want to have pleasure, Do you want to have Love

Do you want to have friendship, Some Gifts from Above

Bid me, Oh bid me. I patiently wait

I'll wait here forever, for that is my Fate

Smiles

 A thousand Smiles

   came running

Or so it seemed

A thousand feet

   upon the grass

    or so it seemed

They're here

At last they've come

   At last

A thousand kisses

   Given then

A thousand hugs

   And more

Now...they are gone

A thousand hugs 

  Before they left

A thousand kisses

   Quick Goodbyes

But they will come 

   Again

Now ? Frowns...But

  then

A thousand Smiles