Happy Birthday, Jesus & Bring on the Snow!

Can you imagine being an unwed, virgin teenage girl visited by an angel and asked to carry your god's child? Keep in mind the ridicule you'll endure, the possibility that your fiance may withdraw his proposal, and that no one will believe that you didn't give in to premarital sex. I admire Mary for the kind of faith it took to know what would happen, but to say anyway, "I am the Lord's servant. May it be as you have  said."

As a mother myself, I know that she didn't regret her choice. I also cannot imagine the pain she must have experienced as she watched him sacrificed for the souls of an ungrateful people.

As you celebrate Christmas with your family, give your own children an extra special hug and send up a prayer or two of thanks to a God who loves us so much as to provide salvation in Jesus to an unworthy people and for sending such an amazing example of a mother's love and strength in Mary.

"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

We have a huge snowstorm forcast for Christmas day here in Oklahoma, and while I doubt it looks quite as good as the picture above, I hope we have at least enough snow for the snowman! I look forward to being holed up with my beautiful little family, hot cocoa, and the new video game from Santa that my 5 year old will have to play all day. What are your plans for Christmas? Will you be enjoying the same snowstorm this Christmas?