THAT kind of woman......

What a great couple of weeks!  I have had so much fun in fact, that I haven't had time to keep up with my blog.  It seems as if I am adjusting pretty well to the trials and tribulations of Addison's and I have some level of consistency in maintaining such a curious condition.  This adjustment has allowed me to focus on some of the former things that I used to greatly enjoy.  One of them is hosting guests in our home, cooking yummy food, and visiting.  All these things just seem to have fallen by the wayside since my diagnosis.  It can be intimidating to commit to anything when I am uncertain from moment to moment how I will feel.  However, I seem to be a bit more in control of managing my symptoms.  We have been so blessed to have a house full off and on over the past few weeks, and have enjoyed the company of our friends and family.  Those visits are such a breath of fresh air for all of us. 

In addition to entertaining I have also been faithful to attend Pilate's and Yoga at our gym.  I keep my trusty bottle of Gatorade next to my mat, and don't hesitate to stop mid pose for a sip if necessary.  The key to working out for me has been to be aware of my perspiration, and to manage my electrolyte level appropriately.  I can feel my body getting stronger, which is a great feeling!  I have noticed that the stretching in Yoga and Pilate's really help my lower back aches and pains.  So much so, that I haven't sought chiropractic care for a couple of weeks.

Now that I have updated on my health...time to write on what has been rolling around in my brain this week.

Every year on Christmas Eve my family and I read the Christmas Story from The Gospel of Luke.  This is my favorite retelling of the birth of Jesus, because of one particular verse.  I wait in anticipation for it as it is near the end of the chapter.   It's just a simple sentence really, but to me, it paints a most beautiful picture.  The shepherds had made their way to Bethlehem where they found Joseph, Mary, and Jesus.  They were so excited at the sight of their Savior that they hurried off to tell everyone they could about the child. Mary, on the other hand, was quietly observing.  Luke stated
            
                         "But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart."

There it is.  The line in the story that I eagerly wait in anticipation for.  It rolls off the page with such poetic beauty.  It touches my heart, no matter how many times I hear it, or read it. 

Fast forward twelve years to the Feast of the Passover.  Joseph and Mary traveled to Jerusalem every year for this special event.  After the Feast, they headed home, thinking their twelve year old son was with them.  They traveled for an entire day before they realized that He had been left behind.  Can you imagine their panic?  They didn't just lose a child, they lost the Son of God!  It took them three days to find him.  He had stayed behind in Jerusalem and was teaching in the temple courts.  Mary asked Him why He had treated them in such a way.  Didn't He realize how much anxiety he caused them?  Jesus was puzzled.  Of course He would be in His Father's house!  Both Joseph and Mary were perplexed, yet Jesus was obedient and returned to Nazareth with His parents.  After working through her initial fear and panic, Mary reflected on the event that had occurred. Did she harbor fear, anger, or bitterness about the event?  Nope, Luke again stated:

                        "But his mother treasured all these things in her heart."

There, we see it again.  Often times I wonder if there is a place for such sentimentality in this busy world of ours.   God chose this woman to raise His Son for a reason.  What were the qualifications for choosing Mary?  Nobility, knowledge, status, a degree, what was it?  One thing that we know from Luke is that she was THAT kind of woman.  You know the kind....the kind that treasured all those things in her heart.  All the stages of her Son's life, she stored away in her heart.  All the little moments, and all the big moments....stored away and treasured.  I have to think that God knew this about Mary, and that it must be significant enough for it to be mentioned on more than one occasion concerning her character. 

Our busy lives fly by.  People come and go in and out of our lives.  Seasons come and go, activities become a whirlwind around us.  Sicknesses, challenges, fears, anxieties, and life in general.  How good it is to remember Mary's response to life, and her ability to look beyond the most challenging of circumstances.  She made a choice to open her heart, focus on what was good, and store away those treasured moments.  I really want to be THAT kind of woman!

Blessings,
Alicia