December 18, 2018

The Choice To Ponder - Gloria Guest



“But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.” Luke 2:19 (NIV)

I’ve always been drawn to that one short line in Luke that talks about how Mary responded to the events that led up to the birth of Jesus and shortly after, with all that was being said about Him. She gathered them up in her heart like treasures and pondered on them. 


I’ve spent the last year doing a lot of worrying about my adult children and my grand-children. There are so many things that I wish to see come into fruition in their lives and yet there is very little control, if any, to go along with that desire. Thus, the anxiety. Worry is a verb defined by Dictionary.Com as to ‘torment oneself with or suffer from disturbing thoughts,’ while ponder, according to the Merriam Webster dictionary is defined as ‘to weigh in the mind; reflect and to consider especially quietly, soberly and deeply.’ As verbs, both are action words, meaning we have a choice to act in such a way or not.


Mary, the mother of Jesus chose to ponder rather than torture herself with worry She would have had many things to ponder over, most of which I could not imagine. I can however, relate to her mother’s heart. Here she held her vulnerable, new born, baby boy. Yes, great things had been pronounced over Him as the very Son of God; yet curled there in her arms was also her son, her little boy to cherish and protect. And that I’m sure is what she wished to do; cherish, protect and guide him into his future. That is what all good mothers wish to do. But even as we hold our babies, an inner voice whispers to us of the magnitude of it compared to our weakness. I’m sure Joseph, chosen as His earthly father, also felt the largeness of such a task before him to raise the Son of God. He too would have much to ponder and much wisdom would need to be relied upon. 


All parents of either small children or adult children would do better, if rather than make ourselves sick with worry, we choose instead to ponder on the things that God shows us about them; His desires for them, His love for them and how we can best cooperate with His plan for their lives.


 Our oldest son has always shown a strong affinity for farming and especially cattle ranching. From the age of two he spent hours cutting out pictures of cows from his father's cattle magazines and placing them all over our living room floor. Farming and ranching has been his dream and we have watched him build his operation and herd over the past eleven years. But this past year was a particularly brutal year for him with a combination of down turns in the markets and some bad luck and so this past week he had to down-size and I had to watch semi loads of cattle leave his yard. What will happen to my sons dreams? I really don't know but God has used this verse on the ponderings of Mary to teach me that torturing myself with worry is not the answer. Instead I need to trust that since it was God who created my son with his dreams and desires that He will best take care of him.

When our second son was born I had assumed that since he was a boy it would feel very similar to holding our first son. But the moment he was placed into my arms I knew he was his own, unique little soul. I sensed a deep inner strength from him and in that moment I felt God say deep into my spirit the words, “Someday that strength will be required of him.” Strangely, I didn’t worry about the meaning of those words. Nor did I torture myself over it as he grew. I simply prayed for him and trusted that since God had placed that strength in my son that He was the best one to show him his path. He joined the military straight out of high school, a place where he feels fulfilled and satisfied in using his God given inner strengths. I often have to choose not to worry over the ‘what ifs’ and instead focus on that moment almost twenty-nine years ago now when God spoke His word over my son into my heart.


Mathew 6:27 asks us, “Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?’ Nor, by worrying can we add a single hour to our children’s lives or make their lives one bit better. This coming year, I plan to do a lot more pondering in my heart over my children and grand-children; to reflect soberly and deeply on what God is telling me about each one specifically. To treasure and pray over  each thing about them. I choose to ponder. 


Merry Christmas and may your New Year be one of reflection on our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and all He wishes to do in and around us.
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Gloria can be found  writing and pondering over life and her children at the hamlet of Caron, Sk., where she lives with her husband (when the wheels of his semi find their way home) and two cats. 





15 comments:

  1. A lovely post Gloria. I like the interplay between 'worry' and 'ponder' and definitely like the connotations of pondering much better!

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    1. Thank you Tracy. I have been a life time worrier so this is a challenge but it really does speak to me so hopefully with God's help I can re-train my mind.

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  2. As a mom, I know well the seasons of pondering. It’s hard not to worry, sometimes, about those we love so much but, as you say so beautifully, it does nothing. Pondering and praying is where I try to land—with varying levels of success sometimes. Merry Christmas, and thank you for this reminder.

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    1. Thanks Linda. It really is hard especially for us natural worriers and there is nothing like our children to bring it out in us! I've enjoyed learning about pondering instead of worrying though. Hopefully it will be there for me when I need to remember it and yourself as well! Merry Christmas :)

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  3. Thanks, Gloria, for your profound thoughts about your children. I was particularly reminded of how we need to trust God for our children and loved ones, when you wrote, "I need to trust that since it was God who created my son with his dreams and desires that He will best take care of him."

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  4. ...and I add that sometimes it's hard for us to take our hands off our children and give them over to God and place them in God's care. As you wrote, God knows best how to take care of them.

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    1. Isn't it? Thanks for your comments Sandra. I have accomplished nothing in all of my worries. I truly do hope to mature in this area this year.

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  5. This verse has always been a favourite of mine as well; about Mary pondering these things in her heart. Each Christmas when my children were babies, I pondered over these eternal souls that were under my care. I felt a kinship with Mary. (I hope to have a conversation with her in heaven.) I connect with your comments on ponder and worry, that "both are action words, meaning we have a choice to act in such a way or not." Thank you for your ponderings, Gloria.

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    1. Thanks Jocelyn. It was actually only as I was writing the blog that I realized the fact that they are both verbs and therefore actions that we can either act on or not. It may not always feel that way but it's true. If I can turn my worry into pondering and then praying I and my children will be so much better off. Merry Christmas :) I always so much enjoy everything that you write.

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  6. Hi Gloria! I always look forward to reading your thoughtful posts. Pondering is something I love to do especially when it comes to what I will write about. I've also often pondered what went through Mary's mind and heart as the "Mother of God." That must have brough about a lot of pondering on Mary's part. She is such a great model for us. As a dad and grandfather I often ponder about my family. Regarding my grandkids in particular I ponder what the future holds for them. I can only hope and pray God has great things in mind for them and your grandchildren as well. It seems to take more energy to worry than it does to ponder. I choose to ponder. Merry Christmas to you and your family Gloria. I pray too this coming New Year will bless you!

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  7. Thank you, Gloria, for sharing your pondering(s) on a topic that is near to my heart as well. I smiled when I read, "It was actually only as I was writing the blog that I realized the fact that they are both verbs and therefore actions that we can either act on or not." It's fascinating, isn't it, how things sometimes become clearer as we write.

    Thanks for sharing your new-found clarity on this matter. When we love our children and grandchildren so much, it takes discipline to stop our pondering before it crosses that red line into the worry zone. God's love, wisdom, and knowledge is perfect and he doesn't look through a glass that is blurry or dark.

    Prayer: Father in heaven, you do know what is best for each of us and for each of our loved ones. May we place all our trust in you.

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    1. Thank you Sharon for your comments. I have a lot of pondering to do this year and praying for my children. I hope you too can pray and ponder rather than worry in this upcoming year. Blessings. Thanks for reading.

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  8. Resolving to replace worrying with pondering is a wonderful gift and promise for yourself in the coming year, Gloria. It can be nerve-wracking being a mother, but you can put your faith and trust in the Lord to know what's best for your children and to watch over them. "For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control" (2 Timothy 1:7, ESV). I pray that you will "be transformed by the renewal of your mind" (Romans 12:2), and I wish you and yours all the best for the Christmas season and the New Year.

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  9. Thank you Nina. That verse in Timothy has sustained me many times :) Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you too.

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  10. This gives me lots to ponder about, and it's good to know that I too, a worrier, can exchange my worries for pondering. Beautifully said, Gloria!

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