Christmas Gift

Joe and Mary had experienced a rough year as newlyweds. The economy was down, and there wasn’t much work available. Then they discovered their annual taxes were due about same time as their baby. Could things get any worse?

They could and they did. The young couple had to travel on a business trip about the time their baby was due. Well, it couldn’t be helped; they would just have to tough it out.

Thinking it safer to journey with a group, they traveled over rough terrain, camping at night. Mary’s back ached; travel was slow and cumbersome. “Surely it can’t be much further,” she sighed as they approached the big city.

“I hope I can find work where we’re going,” Joe thought. “We don’t have a lot of extra money.”

And then the inevitable happened: the baby came! But the crowds got the best accommodations before they arrived. And so they did the best they could, asking the manager of an inn if they could camp out in the shed behind his building.

“I’m so sorry, Mary.” Joe’s eyes revealed deep anguish. “I wanted to provide for you so much better than this. But the crowds are so huge I couldn’t find us a room anywhere.”

“It’s all right,” the girl answered softly. “It’s not the first time I’ve been in a shed, you know. We have blankets and things have settled down for the night. And—it’s not likely we’ll be disturbed by curious people.”

Mary’s smile melted Joe’s heart. Like it or not, this was their lot for the birth of their sweet firstborn.

“And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for the in the inn.”

All but the last paragraph tells only one person’s thoughts on how the King of Kings made his appearance to the world. Heaven’s majesty came down to dwell with common man—the real reason we celebrate Christmas. A blessed Christmas to all.