Passing Loaves and Fishes

In a recent online conversation with my friend, Robin, she said something so beautiful, so meaningful to me, that I was in tears as I read it. Then, I printed it out and shared it with some friends at church. Then, they wanted to get copies, or have me post it here! So...I contacted Robin and asked her permission. Her only request is that I/we credit her, so that when she uses her own words in the future she won't appear to be plagiarizing me. In fact, here's part of her response:

"The most important thing is hearts are fed. And my heart was not the only heart God intended to feed with those words. So break up those loaves and fishes and pass them around, girlfriend!"

So, without further ado, here's what Robin had to say:

...Emmanuel means God with us. Even in our kitchen when we are arguing—God with us...During the "O, Holy Night" while the "stars were brightly shining," Mary was lying there on straw, bathed in blood, sweat, and tears—laboring...When we are in painful labor, when we are sweating and bleeding and crying, and all we can think about is our pain and "just keep breathing"...it's in that moment of personal agony that the Glory of God is being birthed in our life. But we miss it. We don't see it until later...Sweating out the boundaries...and trying to see past our own heartache, to behave in a Christlike, appropriate manner...It's in those crucible moments that the glory of God is appearing in our lives.
© 12/2/2007, Robin ________

If anyone would like to respond to Robin, I'd be happy to forward your comments.