Things rarely
work out the way you plan. Usually when
I hear this cliché, I think of a lesson plan, a family dinner, an event at
church, perhaps. Yes, there are always
kinks, always bumps in the road. It’s
always a good idea to come with Plan A as well as Plan B and C, and usually,
one way or the other, things work out.
But what about when the kinks and the bumps sum up not just an hour, an
evening, or a day, but your entire life, and you’ve exhausted plan A, B, and C?
We, especially we
women, love to be in control. So when
life flies off the tracks, it drives us nuts.
We spend our whole lives planning our lives, sometimes at the expense of
actually living. This is especially true
at the holidays. The photo on the
Christmas card has to look just right, all the perfect presents must be bought,
wrapped, and arranged under the carefully decorated tree, every party must be
attended (and sometimes planned) with a smile, and there better be delicious
baked goods sitting out on the kitchen counter at all times.
I resolved to
have a better attitude about Christmas this year and I did until about two days
ago when I hit a wall- now, if I make one more trip to Target, bake one more
batch of cookies, or have to address one more card to someone I almost forgot,
I may scream. I soaked up December and all
that entails for the first three weeks, even enjoying the aroma of my fresh cut
tree. But now, just at the time when I
should be able to enjoy things most, I just feel done, spent, exhausted...and I
can’t wait to take down that tree.
“What’s the
point?” I ask myself. It’s easier to
muster up some enthusiasm at school or church for those excited little faces at
my class party or in the Christmas play, but here in my living room, this
sleeping dog at my feet has no idea what happens two days from now. But as soon as I ask myself why I should even
bother, I glance at my mantel and see the nativity scene and remind myself
THAT’S the point. I also remind myself
that this “nativity scene” that has become so commonplace to us was anything
but common. It couldn’t have been Mary’s
Plan A, B, or C for that Christmas, but as always, God’s plan was best of
all.
We read the first
couple of chapters of Luke in the Bible this time of year and we picture this
nativity scene and smile at its familiarity.
However, to Mary, the position she had found herself in was anything but
familiar. She had to have felt many of
the emotions so many of us experience this time of year to a much larger degree:
overwhelmed, doubtful, afraid, maybe even disappointed that her own plans
didn’t work out. However, above all, she
felt awe for God’s love for both her and the generations to come, love that was
manifested through that precious baby boy.
It seems simple
to us now, but to Mary that night, it had to have seemed anything but
simple. Such is true for our own for own
lives when we hit those kinks, those bumps in the road. The question is: how will we handle it? Will we kick, scream, and fight God’s plan
every step of the way because, above all else, we want to be in control? Or will we handle challenges with dignity, as
Mary did, and embark bravely on the journey God has planned for us?
Luke 2:19 reads,
“But Mary treasured up all these things
and pondered them in her heart.” (NIV)
I like The Message version even better; it reads like this: “Mary kept all these things to herself,
holding them dear, deep within herself.”
It’s okay to make plans, to have dreams, to hold them in our hearts. That’s part of what makes us human; God
created us so He understands. But may we
remember, as Mary did, that the only plan that matters in the end is the one that
glorifies God. And may we hold that deep
within our hearts, this Christmas, and always.
