Advent Devotional by Lisa Shoemaker

“But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.” (Luke 2:19)

Well, it’s here. Today the celebration of Advent is at the apex—Christmas Day.

So much of our December energy pointed toward this day:  our thinking shifted to church programs and music centered around Advent, to shopping lists, to party invitations, to family travel plans.  The whirlwind of activity has culminated in the day when we gather with our families and our friends to essentially say to each other, “We did it!  We made it to Christmas Day intact!”

As many of you know, my December has been somewhat different this year.  Even though I am composing this writing in October, I know this holy-days season will not be like my others.

Mary “treasured up” all the mystical glory of her situation and thought about it “in her heart,” where her emotions metaphorically resided.  I have been pondering many cancer treatment scenarios, many surgery outcomes, and most of all, hope for cancer remission with the new year.  Mary was overwhelmed with the miraculous; I am overwhelmed with what is unfortunately a too-common diagnosis for many of us.  But it all requires pondering.

So I’ve been thinking about this familiar passage in Luke where the birth of the Christ child is laid before us.  When both of my parents were living, my family celebrated together on Christmas Eve.  In their log home nestled among my father’s Christmas Tree farm outside Armstrong, MO, my parents, children, siblings, and cousins would gather for a huge pot luck meal, and afterward my dad would read this passage from Luke’s gospel (and always stumble over the name “Quirinius”) before we shared gifts with each other.  The farm and the house have since been sold, and my mother passed away a year ago, but I like to ponder this special night when we were all together, and I didn’t have a cancer diagnosis muddling my cherished memories. 

But pondering things doesn’t have to overwhelm us; thinking about our present situations can give us clarity, hope, and renewed vigor to savor our days.  As my friend Steve Hemphill said to me one Sunday when I was feeling blue, “You are an intelligent woman; you have choices about how you are going to think about your life.  Choose to think positively and live your life with joy and hope!” (I admit I’m paraphrasing here, Steve—your exact words didn’t set up camp in my brain.)

So I’m choosing to savor this day and many, many others.  I hope you all can live in the moment today.  Make sweet memories today.  Love on each other today.  And remember that Advent gives us all hope.

Merry Christmas.