"as is"

our pastors sermon today was titled "as is". the message really made me sit up and pay attention.  when we think of the birth of Jesus, don't we all think of his blessed mother being beautiful, serene, sexless, and innocent? don't we tend to think of her as being perfect-or almost so? he wanted us to remember that she was just a young girl, probably of 14 or 15. a girl just like the rest of us- not perfect and not better than any other young girl.
she was chosen "as is".

pastor dave also put up a picture of what he thinks mary may have looked like. probably not like the european beauty most often dipicted in the paintings we are used to seeing- right? maybe somewhat like the girl above.

he wanted us to remember that she was chosen "as is" to carry his gift and that we too are chosen, just as we are. that each of us is good enough, just as we are.

i gave birth to a baby 23 years ago on Christmas Day. it changed forever how i thought of mary. i think of my pregnancy with such reverence. she and i were pregnant at the same time. she was not prepared like i was though. she had not longed for a  baby like i did. she had not seen doctor after doctor to help her achieve this birth like i did. she did not deliver in a clean hospital like i did, she was just "the chosen one".

i am not comparing myself to her in any way except to say that each of us girls, chosen to

carry a child-was good enough as is and that each of our children are a miracle to us.

i thank God for the miracle of Jesus's birth, and i thank God for the miracle of my children's births.