Turn Down the Stress

“But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.”
Luke 2:19

Let’s face it the holidays are a stressful time – shopping, traffic, crowds of people, getting Christmas cards done, throwing parties, attending parties, school programs and on and on – makes one tired and stressed just thinking about doesn’t it. How do we turn that stress down? I want to suggest that like Mary we take some time to get still and ponder.

The dictionary defines ponder as: to consider something deeply and thoroughly; meditate. Yes, meditate that is a good word too. As we race toward our celebrations of Christmas – let’s turn down the stress by pondering the wonder of the nativity, by meditating on the Christmas story as found in the Gospel of Luke.

If we turn down the stress by taking time to really enter into the story that changed the world, we will be better able to enjoy the celebration and we will feel better physically, emotionally and spiritually.

This holiday season are you trying to travel at the speed of light? Trying slowing down to the speed of a camel or better yet the speed of a donkey – a donkey that carried Mary to a Bethlehem manger where she gave birth to the Son of God.

A prayer
Father – We get so caught up in the rush of the season, that it can be hard to really enjoy the true reason for it. Help us this week to slow down, to like Mary treasure up and ponder Your goodness and generosity. Draw us unto Your story – the story of God with us. In Jesus’ name Amen.