Nativity

Today was our carol service. The children enjoyed dressing up as characters in the Christmas story. Still not anywhere near prepared for Christmas. I expect it will still happen. After all Mary can't have been prepared for Christmas either.
The angel visited her and she was unprepared for what he told her. She was unprepared for the long journey to Bethlehem when she was 9 months pregnant. A stable or a cave or whatever it was was hardly the right place to prepare for the birth of a baby. But it still happened. And Mary seemed to take it all in her stride. She pondered it all in her heart and she obeyed the angel's advice, "do not be afraid". Yet there was so much more ahead which I guess she was not prepared for either. During advent when we prepare for the coming of the Messiah it's good to ponder on the preparedness of that first Christmas, to ponder on the gift of God that comes into the world rather than to rush around proposing for a day which doesn't often include him. It will happen if I'm prepared or not and I may not be prepared in worldly terms, but I'm prepared in my heart to welcome him this Christmas.