Ponderings

Today is the fifth day of Christmas and you should be getting your true love five golden rings. Can you image what that would cost? I have a hard enough time figuring out where to put two rings, don't know if I could do the whole five ring thing. I don't think Preacher man would wear them, even if I got them for him, too much bling!

Pondering continues... Mary! I think of all the folks we read about in the Christmas story, Mary is the one that we forget about the most as Protestants. The Catholics don't, but we do, and I think it might be because we (P) think that maybe they (C) take it too far and we're afraid to. I'm not going to get into the whole what P's believe verses what C's believe here. I will say that I think the catholics do get a lot right, more than they get credit for. But what I want to think about is how Mary pondered all these things in her heart! Isn't that something? What do you ponder? Do you even ponder? Merriam-Webster says that ponder is: to think or consider especially quietly, soberly and deeply. Some synonyms are: chew over, ruminate, wrestle with. Now I know how to chew on something. I may have issues with when to stop chewing and either swallow it or spit it out, but chewing I can do. I ponder loudly sometimes though and I think the beauty of it is lost when it's not done quietly. So Mary pondered and she did it quietly, holding it all in her heart. I'm sorry to say that I ponder more like a raging bull than like Mary the mother of Jesus! I have issues with my mouth filter! It doesn't work so well. What follows is something to ponder that came from William Law's "A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life" 1729:


Let every day, therefore, be a day of humility;
condescend to all the weaknesses and infirmities of your fellow creatures, 
cover their frailties, love their excellencies,
encourage their virtues, relieve their wants,
rejoice in their prosperities,
compassionate their distress,
receive their friendship,
overlook their unkindness,
forgive their malice,
be a servant of servants,
and condescend to the lowest office to the lowest of mankind.


Ponder that for awhile and see what you come up with on this fifth day of Christmas. Do you think that might have been something Mary pondered?