Elisabeth

After the excitement of new birth, the ordinary reality of life quickly takes over.  Mary pondered all the events surrounding the birth of her son, Jesus, holding them in her heart, but quickly life became complicated.  She and Joseph were warned of Herod's jealousy of a newborn king and his mass murder of baby boys.  They had to leave the meager supports that they already had to become refugees heading for the safety of Egypt.  The miracle birth was not an easy birth or an easy road in any way.  In fact, it brought suffering and struggle that is not foreign to so many in our world today.

The aftermath of Christmas also similarly brings an element of post Christmas challenge and depression for many.  Often our resources of energy, time and money are depleted.  We need to pick up our bags and get going again, often in very ordinary ways.  While Mary magnified God in her heart, often Christmas magnifies both the good and the bad in our own lives.  It brings up both the pain and the sorrows of life in ways that are perhaps more easy to skirt at other times of the year.

Today I found my heart wandering back to the elderly new parents, Elisabeth and  Zechariah and baby John.  Certainly they were holding young Mary and Joseph and baby Jesus in their hearts as they escaped to safety.  Elisabeth had been such an encouragement to Mary in those early days, deeply understanding the miracle that had come to them both.  She would not forget.  She would pray and continue to encourage throughout Mary's life as together they had shared this amazing time of wonder deep in the wombs of their being.

Twenty three years ago  in my mid thirties, I gave birth to a miracle child.  I have always so appreciated Elisabeth and her incredible hidden support of Mary and so we named our first born child Elisabeth.  By the deep grace of God, our Elisabeth has been a hidden support to me.  She is a "glass full to overflowing" person who always sees and remembers the positive in others.  This morning as I was tired and a tad discouraged in the aftermath of a full and good Christmas, my Elisabeth deeply encouraged me.  Together we baked and cooked and talked.  She encouraged me to stop fussing over those things that I cannot change and to move forward into the day, leaving behind regret, mistakes and those things that I have not done as I would have liked.  Especially when my own resources are depleted I fall into old jealousies and guilt over things I cannot change.  Elisabeth encouraged me to go forward positively, reaching into the possibilities of this new day.  I am off to take the dog for a walk and will even dip into a book today, consciously and actively leaving the past and post Christmas discouragements behind.  Thank you to my Elisabeth, for your encouragement and love today.  I pray that there might be encouraging and praying Elisabeths for you in these ordinary days ahead.