Monday, December 5, 2011

Mary Did You Know?

Jennifer got married two days before Christmas 17 years ago.  It was a crazy time ... and I was an emotional wreck because not only was she getting married, but she was moving to Virginia.  Away from me.  Because evidently Ryan wanted her to live in the same zip code as him ... go figure.


Anyways, the wedding was in the evening.  At some point, my mom had Laurie and I in the kitchen cutting various things ... from olives (I kid you not) to fruit.  My mom had Christmas music playing ... or, rather, A Christmas song playing.  After about the 100th time through of "Mary Did You Know?" I asked her if we could try another song.  ANY other song.  She told me she HAD to learn the song.


Crickets.  Seriously, knives stopped in the air.  I looked at Laurie and whispered, "Is she singing at the wedding?"


Um, no.


We still laugh about that moment today ... and, proudly, I know every line to "Mary Did You Know?"  Please feel free to call if you are looking for a soloist for a Christmas wedding ... it won't be my first time to sing at a wedding.


I write that to remember it ... because let's face it, I'm getting old.  But, today I have been pondering Mary.


My Kinderfriends open one piece of the Nativity each day.  Today it was Mary.  I often wonder how much Mary knew or realized would be asked of that teeny baby she was carrying.  That tiny child she loved before she knew SHE would be THE one.


The girls her age waited and hoped they would be THE one.  Prayed they would be THE one.  And when Mary was chosen she did not refuse to be THE one. 


It was pointed out to me today that Mary would have been about Torrey's age.  15ish. That thought alone has caused me to have remind myself to breathe a few times.  It caused me to wonder about her parents when they heard the news.  We never hear about them.  Did they stand behind Mary and Joseph?  Or did they walk away? What about her friends and and the townspeople?  What exactly was the cost to Mary to be Jesus' mother?  Did she know when she said yes?


I'm sure she would say it was worth it all.


Someday, we will be able to ask, "Mary did you know?"  Until then, we ponder and wait. 




2 comments:

Jennifer McGregor said...

oh come on, you should have also told the story about singing in Heather's wedding! Ok, I will give the gist of it.... the conversation started like this:
T: What are you doing today?
J: Singing in a wedding.
T: Really? I want to go to a wedding.
J: Ok, come with me. You can sit with me and entertain me while I'm waiting.

Suddenly, we are standing to sing, and guess who I mean by WE??? Oh yes, Blog Readers, she stood right up and sang along.

That's my version of it. Still makes me giggle. Wait... does Heather read your blog?

grannimcd said...

LOVE this post. many things to ponder here........