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See that couple walking so slowly, so wearily there? At least, the woman appears
great with child, and is leaning on her husband quite a great deal. There. They
sat down and the man is giving her a drink from their goat skin bottle.
Of course they are coming with the rest of this swarm of people into Bethlehem
to register for Caesar's tax. Everyone is so pushy! That couple will be the
last ones to the Inn. There may not be room for them.
Ah, thankfully we've got a space in the Inn, but there's not another place to
lie down here!
Oh look-- there comes that couple limping in. Well, I feel badly for them, but
I'm not about to give up my bedroll spot. No-sir-ee, I paid dear for it!
Psst-- I see you've been watching them too. Kind of the inn-keeper to send them
around to the stable, don't you think? Sure looks like a birthing tonight, and
it would be a shame for that little woman to have her child out in that chilly
night air, under the stars, no?
Huh-ah-what! Hannah, why are you banging through the door with your buckets in
the middle of the night? Can't a body sleep here?
"A wonderful thing happened tonight! That poor couple in the stable have just
had a baby boy! God-sent I'd say. Just to look at him makes me want to sing and
worship God!"
Others in the inn are rolling over and telling her to shut up. Since I don't
have to I roll over and try to sleep.
However, it seems I hear loud voices off in the distance. Is that shouting from
the sky? I hear--"Glory to God in the Highest" I sit up with a start, my eyes
on the open window, "and on earth," (that's awfully bright moonlight out there!
"Peace and goodwill to all men!"
I confess, I'm in a cold sweat. Could that be angels? To whom are they talking
like that? Has God come down to earth tonight?
-- Ruth Marlene Friesen
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