I love that song, reminds me of my Nanna and just fills my heart with Christmas joy. I think I’ve mentioned it before, actually. Anyway, today in church we were focusing on Mary and my vicar made a wonderful point and it got me thinking. So, I’ve done what any author would do, I’ve written a short story about it!

Mary
It was all a bit much really. I mean, I wasn’t expecting it, does anyone? I don’t suppose they do but when the angel just turned up it took me by surprise, honestly, that’s a huge understatement. And you know, thinking about it, if I was going to anticipate an angel visit being told I was going to be the mother of God’s son would be the last thing I’d expect him to tell me.

I was petrified at first. I thought my time was up! I mean, I’m only young, just engaged and thinking about wedding and marriage and life away from home and BAM! A heavenly host is in my front room telling me the Lord is with me. The Lord with me? I thought I was about to meet him face to face. And the angel must have seen the fear in my eyes because he told me not to worry, to chill out, I was favoured by God. That was great news, but the next bit was the most shocking thing I’d ever heard.

God was going to entrust me with his son. Me! I’m young, I’m far from perfect and I’m not quite sure I’m even cut out to be a mother and this angel told me I was going to have the most important baby in the history of the world ever? If it wasn’t so very, intensely real I would have sworn I was dreaming.

I may be young, but I know where babies come from and well, I couldn’t have a baby, I was still pure in that respect. So, I didn’t want to be disrespectful of the heavenly messenger but I had to ask him, I couldn’t stop the words tripping out of my mouth.

“Erm, How?” I said and he told me, basically, that God could do it. He could do anything. He’d put his baby son in my womb because he’s awesome and he’s even helped Elizabeth conceive and she’s old and thought she’d never ever have a baby. He told me something amazing. He said no word from God would ever fail. How amazing is that? It really blew my mind.

I felt he was waiting for something, like a message in return. I didn’t really know what to tell God, I mean what do you tell the holiest of holies, the great I AM? So I just said I’d do his will, always and that I wanted this all to happen. I guess if I’d said “No way!” That I’d not be forced into carrying God’s child. I’m pretty sure that is not the way He works. I was scared, really scared but I was also excited. I knew it was a miracle, an amazing miracle and it just felt right. I wanted to be pregnant. I wanted to have an extra special baby.

It’s still not completely sunk in, I mean I have the bump and the baby kicks and all that. I am pregnant, no two ways about it, but I can’t believe God picked me. And not many other people believe it either, if you know what I’m saying. Joseph has been amazing. He married me, he took me on when really, he’d have been better off just forgetting about me and leaving me to my punishment. But no, he stood by me, bless him.

I am petrified, I really am. I’ve seen the whole giving birth thing and it doesn’t look exactly fun and well then I get to be a mum. It’s daunting before you even start to think about the baby, he’s going to be called Jesus, you know, I like that name but he’s going to be God’s son and that must me he’ll be the, you know, the promised one, the Messiah. I mean that Angel told me that. I don’t even know how I’ll cope when he goes off to overthrow the Romans but anyway, I’m getting ahead of myself. I’ve got all kinds of cough and colds and cuts and upsets to deal with before all that.

But when I feel him kick, when I run my hand over my bump I just feel so excited, so full of Joy. I’ve been given the best gift ever, the very best. I’m sure in years to come they’ll have all forgotten me but my son, God’s Son, will be remembered through all time and he couldn’t be here on Earth without me, little old insignificant me. What more proof do you need that God can work through anyone, anyone at all.

I know this might seem unexpected but I am nothing if I’m not eclectic!

Merry Christmas, folks. :)