The Joy of the Jump
Contemporary Art Daily Painting Child and Horse Painting
20 x 20 inches Oil on Canvas
COMMISSION for CHRISTMAS
SOLD
Contact me to do something for your home! Laurie
Contemporary Art Daily Painting Child and Horse Painting
20 x 20 inches Oil on Canvas
COMMISSION for CHRISTMAS
SOLD
Contact me to do something for your home! Laurie
Yesterday I spoke to you about what lies ahead. My daughter is in the hospital at 6 1/2 months into her pregnancy receiving steroid injections to help the baby's lungs develop. She has been having premature labor pains in a pretty intense way over an extended period of time. I am heading there shortly and will spend most of the day with her. I have packed her favorite GIRL movies and I am taking the baby quilt along that I have been working on. I will make some headway at least on that. Please keep them close in prayer as the doctors complete their work and as Stacey stays relaxed through the treatments.
We are within the last week of the day we celebrate the birth of Jesus. Mary was already on that donkey riding toward Bethlehem. Unimproved roads, rocky terrain, switchbacks and no phones to call ahead for reservations. The distance is about 75 miles and the travel would have taken 7-10 days. Can you even imagine riding a donkey for 7 days and being 9 months pregnant? I shudder thinking about having to make potty breaks and get up and down off the donkey. I would have opted to stay home. There were many caves along the way that were homes to bandits and thieves. Mary and Joseph were really vulnerable, but they traveled on NOT KNOWING WHAT LIES AHEAD. **
I cannot imagine what was in Mary's heart with this trip, nor do we have any details of that week before they arrived in Bethlehem. This is that week, the week to anticipate the arrival of the baby. If you have had children, think back to your last week before they were born. Anticipation, fear, joy and tears were all part of it for me. Mary has the added responsibility of knowing she carries the Messiah in her womb and she is very protective of the baby. She is also not married to Joseph yet, but is only pledged to him at the time Jesus arrives. What thoughts would be running through your head if you were Mary?
What lies ahead in this week for you as we continue to prepare our hearts and our families for the celebration of the Christ child?
Joy and Abundance,
Laurie
"So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem, the town of David, because he belonged to the house of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. " Luke 2:4-5
**(I will insert here only two gospels mention Jesus' birth in Bethlehem of Judea. Some people think he was possibly born in Bethlehem of Galilee. Others also mention that Matthew and Luke wrote their versions so that the prophecy from the Old Testament would be fulfilled. The Gospel of Mark shies totally away from the birth and takes up at Jesus' baptism. Some reviews say The Gospel of John, when read carefully shows that Jesus was not born in Bethlehem of Judea. They are referring to Chapter 7:41-42. Jesus does not speak up to say he is from Bethlehem and the royal line of David. With my blog I will stay with the account of Matthew and Luke.)
Comments