Tag: Pentatonix

A Mother’s Thoughts

On By vickleaIn Scripture, Song1 Comment

Since we moved so frequently as a military family, I have memories of each of my children in different places. I used to be upset that I didn’t have one home with all of my memories safely stored there with me. Nowadays, after suffering a stroke and losing part of my memories, I am thankful for all of the moves because I can see an image of a child in a place and know where we were and what was happening then. Tokens of their childhood are stored safely away in various places in our current home…the first haircut, the first tooth lost, the first report card. And each token carries a memory of being a young mother with a lot of love and not much knowledge about what I was doing.

That brings me to the Bible verse and a song for today.

The angels sang, the shepherds came to worship and Mary, the mother of our Lord Jesus, treasured these memories in her heart. It boggles my mind that a simple girl was chosen by God to give birth to the Savior of the world. It mystifies me that Mary was a mother, just like me, with hopes and dreams for her child but also knowing that He had a destiny to fulfill and she was only a small part of it.

“Mary, Did You Know?” by Pentatonix

This is my absolutely favorite Christmas song because it incorporates the love of a mother for her newborn child and the love of the child for the entire world.

Cherish your memories and hold fast to to your faith that God has a plan for your life, just as He did for Mary, and that He will bring it to pass.

The Mother of the Savior

On By vickleaIn Scripture, Song1 Comment

One of my favorite Christmas songs is “Mary, Did You Know?” I think that is because I am a mother and I can only imagine how hard it must have been to be pregnant as a teen, giving birth to God’s Son and knowing that His mission on earth would be a short one since His destiny was to be the Messiah for all mankind. I recall when I was pregnant with my children, all the imaginings and hopes and wishes I had for each child. I cherished the moments with them when they were growing up, watching carefully to see the choices each would make and allowing them more freedom as they matured. What must it have been like for Mary, the woman who knew she was giving birth to the One who would sacrifice His life for all of us?

This verse gives us insight into Mary’s character as a mom. She, like many of us, treasure our children’s childhood, knowing that one day they will grow up, leave home and establish a life for themselves apart from us. Mary was a human mother who had all of the love of a regular mother for her beloved son, and like most mothers, she treasured the preciousness of her time with her child.

Unlike most mothers, though, Mary received a prophecy from Simeon when she and Joseph took Jesus to the temple to be consecrated to the Lord. The prophecy included the fact that she would one day suffer tremendous sorrow because her firstborn son would die. It is not the “natural way” of things that a child should predecease a parent, but that was part of Jesus’s destiny and God’s plan of salvation. How much did Mary know? Enough. But she still was willing to be obedient and give birth to the Messiah. She didn’t cower and say, “No, not me. Choose someone else to do this hard thing.” Knowing that the road ahead would be hard, she chose to be the mother to the Man who was also God, the One who would one day die on a cross with her watching beneath it. I admire Mary’s sacrifice and fortitude, but I don’t worship her because she is not God. She was a human whom God chose to use to fulfill His plan for all of mankind and her willingness is to be remembered by us all as the ultimate sacrifice of a loving mother and obedient servant of the Most High God.

Mary, Did You Know by Pentatonix

Have a blessed day as you ponder the real meaning of the season and the sacrifice that Jesus and Mary knew that He was going to make.

Heirs of God

On By vickleaIn Scripture, SongLeave a comment

I have never inherited a great fortune, a big house or anything that was a huge sum. I did inherit about $10,000 from an aunt. It stayed in the bank for a long time until the year 2007 when I decided to use part of it to travel to Spain. As a Spanish teacher for many years, I had dreamed of visiting Spain since I was a junior in college. I was scheduled to go on a “junior year abroad” but my parents had financial problems that year, so it never happened. After graduating from college, I began teaching, got married, had children, moved with the military, etc. You get the idea. Life happened. Then when I got the money from my great-Aunt Eunice, I waited until an appropriate time and my husband and I spent two weeks together in Europe. I was an heir to a relatively small amount of money that allowed me to see dreams fulfilled.

There is another inheritance that I am assured of because I am a child of God. As one commentator pointed out, I don’t get that inheritance until after I die rather than waiting for a relative to die. Jesus already died for me and the inheritance of eternity with Him will occur upon my death. My Heavenly Father has provided for me for eternity, not just for a two week trip or a sum that us quickly used up. The inheritance He provides is for always. It’s hard for my finite mind to fathom such a blessing, but God’s Word is true and over and over He makes the promise that I will be with Him when I die. That’s a promise I can count on and a final dream fulfilled!

Jesus is the reason that I can call God my Father and call myself His heir. Indeed, those of us who know Jesus as Lord and Savior are all His children, all His heirs. It’s such a marvelous thing to contemplate! I didn’t have to try to win His favor, He just gave it. I didn’t have to cajole Him into including me in His Last Will and Testament because it was His plan from the beginning of time. Amazing Grace!

Amazing Grace by Pentatonix

Have a wonderful day and may you rest secure in the promise of our Father’s love for you and in the hope of our eternal home.