The Birth

I just experienced the birth of my wife and I's first child.  WOW.  WOW.  Incredible.  I could go on and on and on about our journey and feelings, and perhaps I will at another time, but right now.....this morning.....all I could think about was Jesus.  See, His Mom and Dad Mary and Joseph were a pretty revolutionary young couple......she was young, and a virgin.  Of course, nobody would believe that, but true it was.  I can't imagine the things Mary went through psychologically and physically.......number one, the nature of the conception, but then to be traveling in your third trimester....and we're not talking about the comfort of a Toyota 4-Runner here.....we're talking belly-out-to-here-gotta-use-the-bathroom-every-five-minutes-hot flashes-long-and-hard-enough-for-Joseph-to-wanna-run-away and likely thrown up on the back of a donkey for at least a week.  Also, remember, it wasn't exactly like it looks on Christmas cards.....we don't know the exact time of year Christ was born, but we DO know the shepherds were out watching flocks, which indicates summertime.  That means nice and cold at night, but dry, dusty, and HOT during the day.  It wasn't Bing Crosby and hot cocoa by the mantle place for sure.  When they finally reach Bethlehem, they can't find a single solitary place to stay.  Nowhere.  Mary is flippin' out and ready to do this thing, and they can't find a place to comfort her......finally, they break down and have to camp out in a stable.  Like an animal.  THIS was the situation which the Savior of the world was born into.  There were no nurses, no round-the-clock attention, no pain medications, no comfort at all.  Jesus himself was lain into a MANGER for crying out loud.  All of this got me to thinking about myself and my perspectives on life.  Just who exactly do I think I am, again?  God himself showed up in beautiful humility to show us a better way to be.  He said through words deed and action[and I paraphrase]"I do NOT need treasures of the Earth, though the Earth was beautifully built to be enjoyed, but instead crave, want, desire, and NEED treasures of ETERNAL salvation and of our almighty God".  Well, guess what?  That's what I'M in need of too.  It's easy to forget and to get swept up into the worldly way of being and thinking.  I spend much of my time chasing money and personal dreams and goals.  Is this all I am good for?  Is this what HE did?  The most powerful man to ever walk the Earth was never a man of means, but still always had enough to continue His purpose....God provides.  He never set out to be a rockstar and say "look what I can do!", even though he could have shook the very foundation of the universe with one swipe of His hand.  He instead taught LOVE.  Love for ourselves through the forgiveness of Christ's sacrifice, which leads to the desire and ability to healthfully love our fellow man, which leads to the ability to please our Father God, which ultimately leads to closer relationship and connection with Him.  Yet, I want more money.  Lol.......the longer I live, the dumber I seem sometimes.  I have all the treasures of the world right before me.....a family who loves me, gifts to enjoy, an incomparably wonderful wife, and now a family of our own.  It's all right here.......we just need to keep Jesus at the center of our focus, our purpose, our vision for our Earth days.......just gotta keep remembering that no one is gonna praise me for being an incredible guitar player when I get to Heaven.  However, if I hang on to the promise of my Lord, draw nearer to Him every day, continually make a sacrifice of my own life as my mentor and Savior Jesus did, well.....I just may get to hear the Creator of the Universe whisper in my ear "good job Son.......you've made me proud and I love you".  Can you imagine?!  That would be worth more than every dollar and fine jewel in existence.  Jesus - you deserved a better entrance into this world......we should have known better, and afforded you the reception we now know you should have had.  However, I know when you come back, and it WILL be soon, that you are coming back in grand style with an explosion of wonder not yet seen by the eyes of man.  I wait impatiently, humbled by who You are.