The Innocents

Today, our family celebrated the 4th Day of Christmas. It is also the Feast Day commemorating the Slaughter of the Innocents...when King Herod killed all of the boys under the age of 2...thinking that Jesus would be among them.
This story, and the carol that chronicles it,
have always held a deep meaning for me.
In the carol, Mary is lamenting that Herod should seek to kill her son and mourning for those lives lost. She knows that this is precursor to how Jesus life would have to be sacrificed. But she wishes that she could keep her son as a babe, safe in her arms.

   "Oh sisters, too, how may we do...
     for to preserve this day.
     this poor youngling for whom we do sing
     bye, bye lully, lullay"
Do we not all wish that we could keep our children safe in our arms? Hold onto them forever? But we can't. I sometimes have difficulty letting my Aspie boys go....to venture on their own. I am a "Mom in progress."
Our oldest Aspie son is leaving at 4:30 tomorrow morning to go to an out-of-town wrestling tournament. He will be driving with the team, eating with the team, staying in a hotel with the team. Luckily, we are blessed with an AWESOME wrestling coach, staff & team. I know he will be fine....I just won't be there with him if something happens.....I have to let him go.
     "Bye, bye lully, lullay"

P.S. The Passion Lilly is STILL blooming...