WONDER

He wouldn’t budge.  My son was three years old and we had just dropped off my daughter at Kindergarten.  I was leading him on the walk back to our house, but he wouldn’t budge.  I tugged a few times and implored him to move before I turned around to see why he had stopped in his tracks.  As I looked at him I saw that his little face was looking up at a tree and as my gaze followed his I saw why.  It was this tree’s “moment.”  It was the middle of autumn and the brightly colored leaves were falling off this tree like snow.  Innumerable leaves falling gently down.  Falling, falling softly onto the grass.  We stood there, two statues, absorbed in this phenomenon we had happened into.  There was no one else there, everything felt quiet and still, and I was filled with… wonder.

When was the last time you were filled with wonder?

It doesn’t seem like it happens as much to me now as it did when I was a child.  But, I have decided that I want it to!  I want to be filled with wonder and awe in my spiritual life.  I want my thoughts of God to be reverent, lofty and full of awe.

So what does that mean during Christmas?

The Christmas season is so busy with events, errands and to-do’s to get “to-done!”  As a mom, I make Christmas happen at my house, and I love doing it, but with all the responsibility and activity I find it can be easy to misplace wonder at this time of year.

When I think of that moment with my son watching the tree, there are a few things that can help me discover the wonder again this season.

1.  Follow the Kids.   Children seem more tuned into wonder and awe than adults.  We need to pay attention to what they are paying attention to and let them lead us.

2. Take a moment.   Wonder takes a bit of time to gather in our hearts.  We have to slow down a minute to really let it form in us.

3.  Enjoy.  We have to let ourselves enjoy it!  Our Lord delights to give us good gifts.

The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders;
where morning dawns, where evening fades,
you call forth songs of joy. Psalm 65:8 NIV

What is filling you with wondering and making your heart sing this Christmas season?

(I’ll be sharing more on wonder as we approach  Christmas!)

This article is part of the WONDERFUL Christmas series

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