Treasured Up

** A few weeks ago I attended Deeper Still, a conference with Kay Arthur, Priscilla Shirer and Beth Moore. Beth began her lesson by reading the Christmas story in Luke 2. She read it from the Message translation (GO ... READ IT. It is some good stuff!) And then talked about what "treasured up in her heart" really means. To protect, guard, keep safe, defend. I am still processing all I learned that weekend, but as I was pondering the REAL meaning of CHRISTmas this morning, I remembered wondering, last year at this time, what it must have been like for Mary. I wrote this post then, and it still holds true today. I will have MANY questions for Mary when I get to Heaven, but the first ones may be the following ...



How many of us started our Christmas Letter in wonder at how quickly time passes by?

We look back on a year gone by and wonder how it went so FAST?

Children were born, cut teeth, turned three, started school, made the honor roll, got the lead in the school play and, eventually, graduated, got married and started families of their own.

And we were left to look back and wonder how it all happened so fast.


I wonder if is was like that for Mary.
That night, as she held her newborn son in a barn, did she - like so many of us - look forward to each passing milestone and promise to cherish each and every moment?

Like so many of us, did the normal every day start to creep in? Did the sleepless nights of life with a brand new baby turn into the craziness of toddler proofing the home? Did she one day look at her son and realize that he just was not a baby anymore?


I wonder what it was like watching her son grow up, knowing that He was also the Son of God.

I mean, she KNEW who he was - the angel had made that clear - so she HAD to know what was in store.


Were the passing moments stored and cherished or did she turn around one day and find a man where her boy had once stood?


I cannot imagine how it felt to see him getting older, stronger, wiser ... all the while knowing that each breath he took brought him closer to the road He was destined to walk...


... and the cross He was determined to bear.

She knew when He was born that His death was imminent.

That it was predetermined.

That it HAD to be.



So, when she held her son that night...

As she watched him learn to walk ...

While she taught him how to talk ...

As she raised HER son ...

Did she cherish each moment knowing that she was holding, watching, teaching and raising God?

Or, did time fly for Mary too?