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One of the most beautiful modern Christmas songs that has emerged recently is Mary Did You Know? I have heard a number of folks sing it and the impact is always the same. The song makes you stop and think about Mary and what she experienced when she was asked to carry Jesus. Isn't that what a good song is supposed to do? Not only entertain you but take you to another place. It always makes me think of the time before Jesus' birth when Mary was in Bethlehem. Her relationship with Joseph was already established but we know that this certainly caused him to reconsider the prospects of marriage with this young woman, that is until God sent his angel to intervene. Since I am not a woman and cannot ever experience the miracle of child birth personally, it is almost impossible for me to know on a biological level what Mary felt as this baby grew inside of her. But I can, as a parent, empathize with her feelings of doubt, concern, and wonder. How was this child going to change her life? Would she be able to be a good parent? What type of adult would her child become? It is here, of course, that Mary has a distinct advantage over all of us. She is assured by God that this child is coming to save the world. Her child, Jesus, will provide the path to heaven for all of us. Those facts probably did more to make her anxious than comfort her. Yet she is the picture of calm and composure. Mary even travels to visit Elizabeth her cousin. I especially like the part in the song where it asks, "Mary did you know that your baby boy would one day walk on water?" She probably did not think of it but if she had, I assume she would have known that this was a possibility. After all, this is God's own Son. He could do anything and was not bound by the limitations of humanness. Another wonderful line in the song says, "When you kiss your little baby, you've kissed the face of God." That is surely something that we can all dream about. To one day kiss the face of God in heaven provides me with great hope and incentive. I am driven to meet my God in heaven and show my adoration face to face. I hope that this Christmas season brings moments of great joy to you and yours. I encourage you to take the time to listen to songs like this one. I assure you it will help you to prepare for the celebration on December 25.

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