Thanks for walking this road with me over the past few days. I’ve enjoyed digging a bit deeper with you by looking at the sisters, Mary and Martha, and how they celebrated the arrival of Jesus so differently.
Mary decided to sit at His feet, letting go of all worldly expectations and responsibilities. Martha worked her tail off to make others happy and missed the heart of the celebration.
I’m wondering which sister resonates with you?
My guess is that most of you feel a closer kinship with Martha. We are just naturally “doers” aren’t we? And because of that, our hearts are sometimes not in it.
But I’d like to suggest a plan.
Why can’t we be Marthas… being on-task and organized during the holidays… with Mary moments where we bring our hearts up to speed?
What would that even look like? Maybe something like this…
My family was decorating Christmas cookies, a tradition they love and I loathe. Why? Because the icing ends up everywhere but on the cookies and I have to resign myself to sweeping up sprinkles for the next 3 weeks.
I do it because every good mother does. 🙂 The truth is I had a million things that needed to get done. Instead, I decided to grin and bare it.
Well in the middle of the chaos, I begin to tear up as I looked at my sweet family.
- I remembered being told we couldn’t have kids… but God had different plans.
- I remembered how close we came to divorcing a few years ago… but God intervened.
- I looked at Sam remembering how he stopped breathing his first day of life and how a nurse was taking his vital signs when it happened, so there was no permanent damage.
- I remembered how when Sara was only 8 weeks old, she contracted RSV and had to be hospitalized and she came out of it unharmed.
In the middle of a VERY Martha afternoon, I had a Mary Moment.
I could have let it pass… I could have composed myself… but I’m so glad I allowed my heart to be moved. God blessed me with a Mary Moment.
You know what I’ve come to realize? Being Marthas with Mary Moments is not difficult… it’s just deliberate.
Friends, take the time this season to experience all God has in store for you. Make sure you leave space in your day for the Spirit to bless your sweet Martha hearts with precious Mary Moments.
Count them as little blessings along the way.
And remember, when you are deliberate about feeling and sharing your Mary Moments… you are teaching your children to be deliberate about theirs.
©2010 careyscotttalks.com
Carey! Great wrap up!!! I figured this would again be the lesson of stop being Martha and be Mary! Thank you for making it more realistic! This I can do! I’m learning that being deliberate about joining God in His day for me is just that! It requires intentional, deliberate action! It requires effort but not work and definitely results in blessing!! Have a Very Mary Martha Christmas!!!
I have enjoyed reflecting on Mary and Martha and thinking about what truly matters. I don’t want to miss Jesus in the midst of all the things that need to be done. I hope to have many Mary moments this Christmas season! Thanks Carey.