A Stick Horse for Christmas

Michael & his stick horse

On Christmas Eve, 1971 my mother opened the box she had picked up from the local Western Auto store to unpack the rocking horse she had ordered for my younger brother, Michael.  Upon opening the box she was horrified to find car seats, rather than a rocking horse! She called the store owners who kindly met her at the store to see what could be done, but of course at that late hour there were not many options.  Christmas morning, my 3 year old brother would find a stick horse under the tree instead of a nice, shining rocking horse. I will never forget how distraught my mother was about that stick horse. She cried. Michael, he just ran around on his new stick horse!  Years later when I had a similar experience with a gift for my daughter, I remembered that stick horse. Mothers always want the best for our children. Our plans for them are for happy lives filled with love and goodness.



My mother on the year of the
stick horses. (and me in the corner)

My mother (the best in world, by the way) has cherished for years special verses and promises for each of her four children. Some she has seen fulfilled, for some she still waits. And I'm certain at times that she has found more "car seats" and "stick horses" when she was looking for "shining rocking horses".  But like Mary, she continues to cherish and believe that the Lord will do what he says. "You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said". Luke 1:45 NLT

In Luke 1:31 -33, we see the promise to Mary concerning the child she would bear. "He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of the ancestor David. And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end".  While she didn't understand how this could be, she believed and her song of praise recorded in verses 46 -55 expresses her elation at the promise. Several times we are told that Mary kept special moments in her heart. After the shepherds came; "Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often" (Luke 2:19 NLT) After finding him in the temple amazing the religious teachers; "his mother stored all these things in her heart". (Luke 2:51 NLT) Sounds like a mother to me!

But what about when she gave birth in a barn and laid him in a manager, did she wondered if she had misunderstood his destiny? What about when he was rejected by the very leaders he had amazed as child? What about when she stood at the foot of the cross? Did she ask as she had when the angel informed her of his coming, how can this be? Did she remember Simeon's words to her when they had taken him as a baby to the temple "And a sword will pierce your very soul" (Luke 2:35 NLT)

Maybe she thought of the words of his ancestor, King Solomon, to get her through theat dark night. Many are the plans in my heart, but the Lord's purposes prevail.

It seems when our expectations are the highest is often when our disappointments are the deepest. It can be very confusing and disturbing when things don't seem to go as promised. We find ourselves saying to God, how can this be?! On what must have been Mary's darkest night when the sword indeed pierced her soul, in the piercing her son's purpose was being fulfilled. He was accomplishing what was necessary for his Kingdom to rule forever.

If in the midst of celebrating the joy and peace of Christmas, you find yourself opening boxes of car seats when you had planned for shiney rocking horses, find a stick horse and ride with all your might! And know that even in the confusing times in life, God is working his purposes. And the purposes for which He was born will prevail!!

Hear the hope in the words of the prophet Isaiah when he foretold the birth of Jesus.

That time of darkness and despair will not go on forever...

For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine.
For a child is born to us!

(Isaiah 9 NLT)

Thanks for listening

See you next Sunday,

Ronda

Looks like Timothy got a stick
horse, too, but apparently
the banana had his attention!

By the way, Michael did eventually have the rocking horse to go along with the stick horse. Worked out well for him! and Timothy.