“But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart,” Luke 2:19. NIV
As a mother, there are volumes of moments and memories that I have treasured up in my heart. Like when my son came home from church with a fruit loop necklace for me on Mother’s Day. He ran up to me holding it so hard in his little grip that a couple of the cereal pieces broke off in his tiny little hand. But the look in his eyes is what I treasure! He looked up at me as if he were giving me a 14kt gold jeweled necklace! He was so excited to put it around my neck, and of course, I wore it for at least the next week, or two, or three. Fast forward to last Christmas. He did it again, but this time my 20 year old son gave me a 14kt gold cross necklace that he picked out and purchased himself. Yes, I cried. I treasured it all and pondered it in my heart as I knelt down beside him and he hooked it around my neck.
When my 4th grade daughter saw her newly renovated “big girls room,” and before running inside to touch and feel it all, she turned completely around and had to touch me first with the biggest hug and said, “Thank you Mommy, I love it! I love it!” Now, my 19 year old wants to paint her room with me and she takes on the project herself to display her tastes in style. She went with me to shop with a client just 3 Saturday’s ago, and impressed us all with her eye for color and design. Yes, I treasured it all and pondered it in my heart as she placed the rug she had found in the foyer of my client’s home!
Even when they were so young, we were walking out of a restaurant while vacationing at the beach, they both stopped in the parking lot just for one reason – to give each other a big hug while Trace said to Samantha, “Aren’t we having fun! I love you ‘Manthie!” (that was the kodak moment you see in today’s photo!!)
There are too many meaningful, deeply meaningful moments in my mothering to share and honestly, some of them are meant just for myself. There have been and will continue to be so many “treasuring up” of times with my children that, like Mary, “I will keep all these things to myself, holding them dear, deep within myself.” (The Message)
But that’s not all the verse says that precious Mary did. She also “pondered them in her heart.” When I looked up the word “pondered” in it’s original Greek, I was not surprised at the meaning of that one word. It said “talked with God.” When Mary pondered things in her heart, she naturally talked with God about them. She was a child of God, a godly woman, and it’s as natural as breathing when a child of God holds such profound and precious moments deep within their heart, to talk with God about it all.
This Christmas, as you treasure up moments, as you create new and meaningful memories while celebrating Christ’s birth, also ponder them in your heart. Talk with God about it all, and share with Him all that is so dear, precious and special to you. To ponder is not just an internal thought process for a child of God. To ponder is an intimate conversation with the One who orchestrated it all in the first place. Pondering is a powerful practice for any child of God. It’s expressing our praise, our worship, and gratitude and our awe to the One who brought it all into our life anyway. I honestly can’t imagine pondering in silence.
My Prayer:
Father, You alone create moments, allow the staging for precious memories with our family and friends. You alone see all, hear all, and choose to use all for the manifestation of Your glory, and for our good. I choose to not only truly treasure everything this Christmas season as I celebrate the birth of Your Son, but I also choose to ponder them all in my heart because, “man looks at the outward appearance, but You look at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7 When You look into my heart, may You find a praying, praising and pondering heart. In the Name of Jesus, I love You, Amen.
