Beautiful inside and out

I love to learn. Well let’s be totally honest, I love to learn about things that interest me.
Just the other day, I told Dave McDonald that I have NO interest at all in learning to be a technical literate person. I love my computer when it works, but don’t ask me to problem-solve a technical problem. I’d rather slit my wrists! To be totally honest (again) I usually whine and cry and then beg someone to help me.

One of the things I do love to learn about is relationships. I am always on the look out for couples who have a solid marriage. I watch parents as they interact with their children (extending a lot of grace, because I know that my kids can drive me crazy.) I look for ways that I can be a better wife and mother.

Most recently the relationship that has captured my attention is Mary, a young woman/girl of approximately 15 years old and her mom and dad. You know Mary the mother of Jesus?

As a mom of two young kids, I wonder, what did her parents do to raise such an amazing kid? An angel comes out of nowhere and asks Mary to do this most bizarre thing and she says "Yes!" (see Luke 1.38)

If I could interview Mary these are some questions I would ask:
What was your home like?
Did you get along with your mom? what about your dad?
What was your birth order? Are you first born?
Did your parents tell you bedtime stories?
What were your favorite stories from the Torah?

Esther, a woman of courage and strength or maybe it was Ruth?

Continuing the interview with Mary’s mom and dad:
Did you ever imagine your daughter coming home and saying, "Something really strange happened today..."?
Your daughter seems to have a lot of inner confidence, how did you nurture that as a child? particularly with a daughter?
What was one hope or dream you had for Mary?
As parents what did you do that instilled God’s beauty in your daughter? (see Luke 1.28)

My 4-year-old daughter stands in front of the bathroom mirror. She combs her hair and sings to herself "I’m so pretttttyyy". (Ben Redmond’s daughter is 8 and he assures me that this mirror fascination thing is quite normal). However, I still worry that I am raising a vain child!

As I prepare my heart for Christmas, I am going to spend some time with Mary’s family, reflecting on how I can prepare my daughter and myself to become "beautiful with God’s beauty, Beautiful inside and out?" (see Luke 1.28)