Christmas Scents
My husband and I have committed to at least three romantic night time walks around Shiloh this month to enjoy the lights he has put up. One night we were outside and there was the distinct smell of a fire burning. I bet someone was roasting marshmallows!
Switch to this gear. What scents surround the time when Jesus was born.
Maybe Mary was inhaling the aroma of fresh baked bread in her little home in Nazareth when the angel, Gabriel, appeared to her with great surprise and proclaimed. "Do not be afraid, Mary. God is very pleased with you. You will become pregnant and give birth to a Son. You must call Him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High God. The Lord God will make Him a King like His father David of long ago." Luke 1:30-32
Elizabeth, the cousin of Mary had a husband named Zechariah. He had been serving as a priest in the temple when an agent appeared to him and gave him quite a startle. The angel said, "Do not be afraid, Zechariah. Your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will have a child. It will be a boy, and you must call him John." Luke 1:8-13 When Zechariah arrived home to share this news with Elizabeth was the smell of incense from the temple still on his clothes.
Mary journey to her cousin Elizabeth's home. As they connected in that poignant embrace where their babies lept in their wombs what did their clothing smell like. They had bounce sheets or downy softener to freshen their cloths. Did they procure sweet smelling herbs to add to their wash?
As Mary, nine months pregnant, mounted the donkey on which Joseph would use to lead her to Bethlehem what did she smell. Was the donkey damp? Did it sweat along the journey? I've ridden a sweaty horse and recall the aroma.
Then there was the stable, Mary's labor and delivery room. I've given birth six times and know the stringent smell of a hospital birthing center. Oh, Lord, if I ever complained, please forgive me for our children had two ponies and their horse back riding days took me into many stables. The wet hay, the leather from the saddles and of course the manure. Whew. My stomach churned and I became nauseous from the pain of my first childbirth experience. Can't even imagine enduring labor with live animals surrounding me.
And she gave birth to her son, the firstborn, and she wrapped him in stripes of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for her in the lodging place." Luke 2:7
Then Mary experienced one of my favorite smells on earth. The fragrance of a new born baby! Oh, friends I could sniff on a newborn all day. If I'd given birth in a stable I think I'd keep my nose nuzzled in very close to the neck of that newborn. The sweetness of breast milk on a baby's lips after he has nursed is pleasant and distinguishable as well.
Ugh, then those shepherds showed up.
Thanks for taking this journey of scents with me today. We take so much for granted. Maybe you will want to have a scent party and have your family or guests guess the smells of Christmas and share these thoughts about the things Mary smelled.
The Song: Away in a Manger by Phil Wickham
