Taking Time for a Baby…

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!! Beginning this morning, I will be taking a blogging break to just hang out with my family until Kenna heads back down south to school. We’ll eat snacks, watch movies, fight over cut-throat games of Phase 10, have family Bible time with all five of us home :-) answering ‘The Question’ on Christmas Eve  and at the end of the two-week span, I may be too weak from hosting four different get togethers! (As I type, there are 8 teens sleeping over in my basement who will be up soon and expecting homemade waffles!)

I leave you with this post, written by my daughter last week and displayed on her Facebook page. I hope it touches you like it did me. Until we are back connecting as cyber friends the first week in January, may we all take time for THE baby. Here’s Kenz:

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In the craziness of the holidays, it is so easy to lose focus. Just what is Christmas is all about? Not the gifts, or lights, or even family, but about a baby; a baby who came down to earth as nothing in the world’s eyes. Yet became everything to those who would only believe.

Today was my last day at the Swope’s before I head home next week for Christmas. Aster (one year old) was not feeling well and wanted to be held, all day long. So I put her on my hip and began about my every-Monday routine. But being the sweet, full of energy, always alert little girl that she is, she did not like that I was paying more attention to the dusting and moping than I was to her. So she began to fuss, she kicked a bit and finally began to yell. It was at this point that I abandoned my cleaning to take some time to sit and hold her.

We sat on the couch and turned on some Christmas music. And as we cuddled there listening to music about joy and Jesus, something came to my attention. You see I always think of Jesus being this great man, the Son of God, who saved the world from sin, and although that is true, I find that so often I forget about how he first came to earth.

He was a baby.

He cried, He had smelly diapers, He needed attention, and He wanted love.

Everything just clicked with me right then and there as I snuggled with this small baby that I love so much. I always knew the story of how Jesus came to earth as a baby, but it never really hit me the way it did today. He had a mother, a father, sisters, and brothers. And although I don’t have any children, there are kids that I love dearly and can’t imagine my life without, sweet little Aster being one of them.

The emotions of how His mother must of felt overwhelmed me. She built into His life, she loved Him, she changed Him, she abandoned all else for Him.

What have I done for Him?

I believe that God sent His Son to earth as a baby, to show His gentle, meek, loving, spirit. What is less intimidating that a child? If you give a child a little attention and show them that you love them they will love you back forever.

Just like Jesus.

All He asks for is our attention and our love. How many times though do we abandon Him for the busyness of life? The laundry, dusting, moping, or vacuuming. How many times does He have to yell at us to get our attention? And how many times, when He does, do we think He is being unfair and not considering what we have to do?

You see all Jesus wants is us to take time out from our busy schedules to be with Him; to love Him and be loved by Him. This is a lesson that Aster helped me remember this Christmas season:

Don’t get so busy with life and things that we forget people and God.

At the end of our day as I fed her a bottle, the song “Mary Did You Know?” came on. It helped to conclude my thoughts for the day. Think about it, Mary took time out of her life, a lot more than most people do, to just be with Jesus and to love Him. We should follow her example.

So this Christmas, remember just how much God loves us. He sent His Son, His ONLY Son, into the world to give us hope!

It is my prayer that we all will remember to take time to praise the One who this season is all about. Not only God the great, all-mighty, powerful, majestic Savior……..

But Jesus, the meek, humble, sweet baby who one day would save all of us who seek Him.

Taking time for THE baby,

Kenna

10 Comments

  1. I wish I had read this yesterday, because if I had, I would have printed it out and shared with my family. But, I can still do it today. Thank you for this sweet reminder.

    Praying your time together is richly blessed!

  2. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you Karen. May I take the time to thank you for your blog and sharing a slice of your life with me.

    I’m so happy to read this post before I head into a short but much needed devotional time. It has set my mind where it should’ve been so much more this season.

  3. Oh you are so right. Last year we had so much happening in our lives and to relieve stress all i could think of is the song Happy Birthday Jesus. Happy Birthday Jesus All the tinsel and lights make the holidays bright but the real gift is you. Happy Birthday Jesus i love you. thanks for the new insight this year.

  4. Thank you. Tonight I am singing “Sweet Little Jesus Boy” for our Christmas Eve service. This is a wonderful idea for me to keep in mind as I sing.

  5. Good morning sweet girl! What a beautiful post. Baby Jesus and Baby Aster – two reminders that this is love – slowing down and savoring the Christ Child. I am so thankful for the gift of that baby in a manger and also for the gift of you in my life to help me with my sweet baby girl. God knew how much I would need you as we have gone through some of the hardest months of our lives and I’ve wondered how we’d make it. But then Monday comes and you are there to fill in my gaps. I so appreciate you!! Wishing you a wonderful holiday break with our wonderful family and friends. Love you – Miss Renee

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