The Nativity

There's a family in our ward that has an ancient barn snuggled up beside their equally ancient brick house. All three stories and balcony of it. Life was different then. And this barn is no joke. It's got the room for the animals who may need some extra shelter and hay besides. Every year since people have ridden around in horse-drawn carriages they've had a family home evening based on the true Christmas story. The one where there's a virgin mother who gives birth to a baby who will save the world under the watch of a carpenter. It almost sounds too spectacular to be true, but I know with all my heart that it is. A jolly fella with rosy red cheeks and a pile of white beard that visits all the homes in the world in one night has nothing on the Christ Child. Although, that itself is a pretty amazing story.

I took rent money over to our little landlady and she was telling me how back in the day when people had animals as more than pretty pets that Mary would ride in on a horse and the shepherds would have real sheep with them as they made their way from the fields to the baby's side. Her nativity watching days were long over she said as she told me to dress warmly but that it had been quite the event.

Handsome Husband and I piled on the sweatshirts and jackets, complete with scarves, gloves and hats. It was a cold night but when we entered the barn and found a spot in the hay loft that wasn't too high up we got cozy together under the quilt we had brought. Next year we'll have a little girl with us and we'll bring thermoses of warm apple cider and some candy canes to share with those around us. This year was our 'pre-run' I told Steven.

The story started out as it always does, in a city called Nazareth where a beautiful maiden was betrothed to a handsome carpenter. However, it wasn't your usual story rehearsed straight out of the scriptures. This story was set up for little ones to understand the graveness of Mary being with child without having been married and the journey ahead of them to be counted and taxed and the amazingness that was Christ, the child come to save the world from sin and how it was that he was born in a stable.

Perhaps even if I never get the full Christmas spirit complete with the red and green decorations I can at least know the true reason for this blessed season and make it a memorable one for someone else.