#15 Diane Metelak: The Next Day

The Next Day

There were long, weary days of anxious activity, tedious travels and accommodations to be found-

Followed by a night of intense labor, noisy commotion, unexpected visitors, and bright lights from heaven.

And then-

Then there was

The Next Day...

After the delivery, all the preparation and rejoicing, there was the calming quiet of normalcy.

Of course, their normalcy was forever changed by the birth of their first-born son. A son who, they were told by angelic visitors, would one day stand up and proclaim himself to be the Son of God, the Messiah.

But, until then, there was the day-in-day-out routines of feedings, diapers, childhood milestones and scraped knees.

The average,

everyday,

mundane.

Storm-filled seasons, hot and sunny days, days of work and exertion, and days of rest-

All formed the rhythms of their days.

To be sure, their family would experience some unusual situations-

The unexpected reception from an eager old man and a widowed prophetess when they brought their infant to the temple to dedicate him and offer their sacrifice.

Another angelic visitor bringing warning and exile to another country- fleeing in the night to avoid a jealous king's deadly rage.

The visit and gifts from exotic guests from faraway lands...

Yes, those were exceptional days.

But, beyond the few verses that speak of these events lay years of NORMAL, everyday, life.

The party is over. Food is packed into the fridge; songs and laughter give way to silence. The guests have all gone home, and the furniture has all been placed back in its usual arrangement. After a night of welcome sleep, the new day dawns overcast and clouds drip raindrops all afternoon. It is quiet in my home and heart today- peace on earth from resting in the knowledge of grace. Another day, a day to be still and recover from the labor. And I ponder what she must have thought on her Next Day...

'Cause I know Mary had a part in a pretty spectacular birth story- the most miraculous one ever-

but there were many, many more days

of toil,

and labor,

and hardship,

boredom,

and monotony.

What was The Next Day like?

Much like any new mother, she must have experienced pain and discomfort, fatigue and bleeding, waking from rest to feed and care for her baby, all the while depending on Joseph to help her with the daily tasks of living, and in her recovery.

It is The Next Day, and life goes on-

The memory of light, and angelic voices, dirty shepherds and smelly animals, pain, and fear, and joy- all will be stored up in her mother's heart.

But I imagine she welcomed The Next Day-

for its silence,

for its rest,

for its "normalcy."

It is The Next Day

and God-

The God of yesterday, today, and forever-

is

with

us-

And we walk in this truth every day. Hearing echoes of angelic song, and sprinkled with stardust from heaven, we carry the Light of His presence into tomorrow and whatever it brings, the mundane and/or the miraculous.

Diane Metelak, 26 December 2013.

Diane Metelak is "team mom" and a homemaker in Klaipėda, Lithuania.  After raising four children and living in over 23 different homes on three continents as a military, and currently a missionary wife, she can pretty much do anything.  In her spare time she writes, bicycles, studies, and is involved in mentoring young adults and encouraging other women.