The Grace Story: {Day 11} Did she have morning sickness?

I know.  What a strange question.  Maybe it even sounds a tad irreverent.  Did Mary, the mother of Jesus, have morning sickness??

Honestly, I probably would have never thought of it myself, but I read an article the other day that asked the question.

Reality checks are a good thing - especially in this season when so much tradition swirls around, often leaving our minds filled with rosy-colored scenes.

We remember the miracle of Christ's birth, and it is well that we do.

But the miracle wasn't halos and nine months of Mary sitting around her house, perfectly poised, like the pictures show.

This whole miracle - right from the start - wasn't some ethereal, mystical happening.

God chose to come into our world as one of us.  The miracle of the Incarnation was full of warmth, of beating human life and feeling, and yes, of pain.

Mary was an ordinary girl.  She trusted God with a beautiful humility.  But she was still human - like you and I.

I think we miss the best part of all this when we ignore what surely must have been reality: After the angel left, Mary had to keep living her everyday life.  There was a miracle growing inside of her, but as a flesh-and-blood human being, she experienced times of pain and fatigue.  Not only that, she suffered the loss of her reputation.  Her life was turned upside-down in so many ways, and I think it's quite safe to say that doubts and fears surfaced at one time or another.

But through it all, God was there for her.  With her.

Which means that He can do the same for us.

That's why they called Him Emmanuel, friends.

Let's not paint soft watercolors of this Story.  Let us embrace the depth and fullness of grace, painted in hues both dark and vibrant across the canvas of history.

May the miracle of Emmanuel - God with us - be written on our hearts, too.