A Mother's Pondering
Though I may have said it before, I hope you had a great Christmas and New Year. Ours was splendid.
Now we are back to work and school and the sun is shining so it is a good day. Yesterday my son, daughter, and I took a 4-mile walk along the river in our town. It was brisk but beautiful.
I treasure such times with my family. We are all busy so when 2-3 of us are available and interested in similar pursuits, it warms my heart. I know such times won’t always be possible. I even wonder how many of my kids will be home next Christmas. Several of my friends were separated from their children this year, due to jobs and other commitments.
It says in Luke 2 in the Bible that when the shepherds arrived at the stable to worship Baby Jesus, Mary pondered those things in her heart:
Luke 2:10-20 (New International Version)
10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14 "Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."
15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."
16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
I don’t think mothers ever stop pondering things in their hearts when it comes to their families. We want them to be healthy, strong, faithful, ambitious, gentle, loyal. We always wonder if we’ve done our jobs right. Yet, in the end, it is their personal decisions that will affect their lives. All we can do is pray for them.
Before Christmas, I met one mother who was separated from her child over Christmas and surely pondered grievous thoughts about the separation, but still relied on God to see her through.
I edit a jail chaplaincy newsletter and am invited each December to tag along with the volunteer jail chaplains when they go caroling at the jail. I’ve done it several times and it is very moving to see how much our singing and distributing of cookies means to the men and women imprisoned.
One of the female volunteers told me she was not a chaplain, but her son was in that very jail and she wanted to carol there to let him know she supported him. She could not carol on his cell block, but she was OK with that. She said he had gotten his life straightened out with God just before he was sentenced (we have a terrific jail chaplaincy program. Contact me if you’d like to know more about this program).
Her son would be leaving the jail to go to serve his sentence at a major prison soon, possibly before Christmas. The rules of transporting prisoners would keep this woman and her husband from knowing where their son was being taken for a few weeks and from corresponding with him over Christmas.
That must have been such pain for this mother! I couldn't imagine going through this experience. (She didn’t share what he had been convicted of and I didn’t ask). But she shared how she relied on her faith in God to help her through. She attends church regularly and helps women who have been released from jail to get adjusted back into regular lives.
During the three hours we caroled, she went up to each window and pressed her hand up on the glass and mouthed “I love you.” (the windows were tiny so all we could see were the heads of the individuals inside). Many of the inmates placed their hands over hers on the other side. Some sang along and others shouted “Thank you” after we were done.
This woman didn’t know any of the men and women we visited, but her mother’s heart ached for them and I’m sure for their mothers as well.
Mary didn’t stop pondering about Jesus after the Wise Men left. She continued to ponder about Him and His life and death on the cross and afterward until she took her last breath. That’s a mother’s prerogative and challenge.
What relationships do you ponder about in life? I suggest strongly that you call on God to help you with the troubled relationships. He can change hearts and souls as he did this mother’s son who went caroling in the jail. I’m praying for her and will pray for you.
Take care,
Kayleen Reusser
Now we are back to work and school and the sun is shining so it is a good day. Yesterday my son, daughter, and I took a 4-mile walk along the river in our town. It was brisk but beautiful.
I treasure such times with my family. We are all busy so when 2-3 of us are available and interested in similar pursuits, it warms my heart. I know such times won’t always be possible. I even wonder how many of my kids will be home next Christmas. Several of my friends were separated from their children this year, due to jobs and other commitments.
It says in Luke 2 in the Bible that when the shepherds arrived at the stable to worship Baby Jesus, Mary pondered those things in her heart:
Luke 2:10-20 (New International Version)
10 But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. 12 This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."
13 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
14 "Glory to God in the highest,
and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."
15 When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."
16 So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. 17 When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
I don’t think mothers ever stop pondering things in their hearts when it comes to their families. We want them to be healthy, strong, faithful, ambitious, gentle, loyal. We always wonder if we’ve done our jobs right. Yet, in the end, it is their personal decisions that will affect their lives. All we can do is pray for them.
Before Christmas, I met one mother who was separated from her child over Christmas and surely pondered grievous thoughts about the separation, but still relied on God to see her through.
I edit a jail chaplaincy newsletter and am invited each December to tag along with the volunteer jail chaplains when they go caroling at the jail. I’ve done it several times and it is very moving to see how much our singing and distributing of cookies means to the men and women imprisoned.
One of the female volunteers told me she was not a chaplain, but her son was in that very jail and she wanted to carol there to let him know she supported him. She could not carol on his cell block, but she was OK with that. She said he had gotten his life straightened out with God just before he was sentenced (we have a terrific jail chaplaincy program. Contact me if you’d like to know more about this program).
Her son would be leaving the jail to go to serve his sentence at a major prison soon, possibly before Christmas. The rules of transporting prisoners would keep this woman and her husband from knowing where their son was being taken for a few weeks and from corresponding with him over Christmas.
That must have been such pain for this mother! I couldn't imagine going through this experience. (She didn’t share what he had been convicted of and I didn’t ask). But she shared how she relied on her faith in God to help her through. She attends church regularly and helps women who have been released from jail to get adjusted back into regular lives.
During the three hours we caroled, she went up to each window and pressed her hand up on the glass and mouthed “I love you.” (the windows were tiny so all we could see were the heads of the individuals inside). Many of the inmates placed their hands over hers on the other side. Some sang along and others shouted “Thank you” after we were done.
This woman didn’t know any of the men and women we visited, but her mother’s heart ached for them and I’m sure for their mothers as well.
Mary didn’t stop pondering about Jesus after the Wise Men left. She continued to ponder about Him and His life and death on the cross and afterward until she took her last breath. That’s a mother’s prerogative and challenge.
What relationships do you ponder about in life? I suggest strongly that you call on God to help you with the troubled relationships. He can change hearts and souls as he did this mother’s son who went caroling in the jail. I’m praying for her and will pray for you.
Take care,
Kayleen Reusser
posted by Kayleen | 7:09 AM
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