1 Save me, O God, by your Name;
in your might, defend my cause.
2 Hear my prayer, O God;
give ear to the words of my mouth.
3 For the arrogant have risen up against me,
and the ruthless have sought my life,
those who have no regard for God.
4 Behold, God is my helper;
it is the Lord who sustains my life.
5 Render evil to those who spy on me;
in your faithfulness, destroy them.
6 I will offer you a freewill sacrifice
and praise your Name, O Lord, for it is good.
7 For you have rescued me from every trouble,
and my eye has seen the ruin of my foes.
Psalm 54
Dear Mama and Papa,
We are so close to Bethlehem we can see the city far in the distance! We should be there before daybreak tomorrow. Our travels have been slower than we had hoped as we have encountered busy roads, even at night, crowded with people! It seems many people have been called by the government to show their papers and pay their taxes in person. Some other travelers have told us that they have heard rumors about the long lines and unhelpful Roman scribes who handle the papers and the taxes. Some have even told of the ruthless practices which demand extra money in order to process the papers. I pray none of this is true so we can come speedily back home.
Joseph has proven to be very kind and compassionate, despite the fact that he has never had to deal with an expectant mother! Even though we feel the pressure to hurry, he takes his time and makes me stop often to rest. Last night, we stopped at the camp of some shepherds, who were sitting around the fire with their families. They invited us to sit with them for a while and gave us tea and cakes. One of their little girls came and sat with us. She was so sweet and curious. She wanted to touch my belly, and her father scolded her, but I told him it was fine. She put her hands gently on me and then began reciting some psalms and then said a prayer. It was so lovely, the whole experience. I really felt blessed and reenergized when we continued on our journey. I have to remember to see the beauty in every moment, even when I am afraid and far from home. I cannot wait to be back with you and to tell you all our tales in person!
Much love,
Mary
