I Love Sudden Realizations...

Sometimes I just get these random, wonderful realizations. It's funny, actually, the little things and unexpected events that cause them. Tonight we were at Annelise and Emmaline's Christmas play at their school. I must admit, I was kinda dreading it. They go to a very small, private Christian school, which I love, and their school staff members are very much into the productions they put on for the parents- which is also great. They put hours into their plays and concerts- awesome- except when you consider that this means that these productions usually end up being about 2- 2 and a half hours long. Would be ok, except for all the infant and toddler brothers and sisters that come along and have the attention span of a gnat. But I digress.... So tonight, we're watching the kids do a re-enactment of the birth of Jesus. It's different from the everyday-birth-of-Jesus-play because it actually starts right before Mary learns that she will be the mother of the Savior of the world. She was actually working in her village when all of a sudden, an angel appeared to her and said "Greetings- you are highly favored. God is with you." Well, I didn't hear much after that, because my ADD kicked in and I thought to myself "Wow- to actually hear that- how awesome would that be??" To hear that you were highly favored by God and that He is with you! I tried to imagine what that would be like, and then it hit me- I know what that feels like. I already know, because God spells it all out for us in His word- in the Bible. I felt a bit silly after that. I mean, how could I think that I was not highly favored by God- He sent His only son to die a horrific death for me. He gave me 2 beautiful wonderful children and an amazing, loving, loyal husband. No, He never sent an angel to tell me that I was loved and that He thought a lot of me- He went a step further- He showed me how much He thought of me and how deep His love runs. He showed all of us. All of this, He did for each of us. Do I love my friends and family, oh yes, I do. Do I think highly of them? Yes. No doubt. Would I put either of my children on a cross and see them tortured and beaten and watch them die a long, suffering death for them? No freakin way. God's ability to love us astounds me. It's even more astounding that He loves those who don't even love Him back. He loves those who don't even believe He exists. And He loves them all just as much as He loves me. What an amazing, incomprehensible love. And to even have the thought that I would wonder what it would be like for God to 'highly favor' us- so ridiculous. So, just so you don't have to wonder, I'm here to tell you- you are highly favored and God is with you. You are loved and you are valuable. And because there will be people who won't believe me- He put it in writing for you. ;0)