Here's my twist on an old story.
Back a couple of thousand years ago there was a fellow named Caesar Augustus who ran the whole Roman Empire. He decided he wanted to know just how big his "country" was so he decided to take a census. Seems as though he thought some of his "Governors" were not collecting and sending enough tax money to him.
Anyway, he thought it would also be neat to know where his subjects had originated, so he ordered that they had to go to the cities where their ancestors had lived.
Well, there was this couple, Mary and Joseph, who lived in a small town called Nazareth, but Joseph's family had come from Bethlehem--so, they had to go to Bethlehem to register. This presented some problems. Mary was pregnant, and is in no shape to travel. And their only transportation was a small donkey. I guess you would call it a "one-seater." So Joseph would have to walk.
It was about a seventy-five mile trip over some pretty rough county, and with no Email or telephones, they couldn't make reservations ahead. They managed to make the trip OK, but their luck ran out when they got to Bethlehem. Joseph tied the donkey outside with Mary on it, while he went in to see about a room. The desk clerk said they were booked 100 per cent. Joseph argued that he had to have a room because Mary had had a hard trip, and was nine months pregnant. The clerk went back to talk to the General Manager. He came out and confirmed that every room was filled, but that they could stay in the barn out back if they wanted to.
With no other hotels in town, Joseph had no options, so to the barn they went. And wouldn't you know, Mary had her baby that night.
Well, some of us have festivals and Fourth of July celebrations and participate in other local and national events, but none compares to the celebration around the world commemorating the birth of that Baby. We call it Christmas.
Helen and I will gather with our family for a feast, but also to say thank you for that Baby that they named Jesus.
I hope that you too will join in the celebration.
