Showing posts with label Baby Jesus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Baby Jesus. Show all posts

Tuesday, December 18

Oh, Mary, What Will Happen to You?


The Virgin Mary has been visited by an angel but how is life treating her since then? By the way I discovered this review online. Was I ever surprised and thrilled. I wish they would have put their name on it so I coud thank him or her properly.

29 Nissan
April 21

Dear Diary;
           With tears in my eyes, I must admit this has been a low time

Monday, November 26

The Secret Will Get Out

     Mary'am crept quietly out of her room to write. The dew was cool and damp against her bare feet as she plodded softly through the grass to the stone bench near the almond trees.
    She carefully unrolled the parchment, then left it resting on the small, flat rock at her side while watching the sun slowly rise above the horizon. It was such a serenely, beautiful day, and all around tiny birds were chirping merrily.
   Now I will step out of the picture and let you quietly read over Mary'am's shoulder.


Dear Diary;
        I am getting a little rounder every day. Only I can tell but soon the secret will be out.
     While I write this Hana is sleepily getting dressed, and when she is ready we need to fill the water jugs at the well.
     While mothers are waiting to fill their vessels, I often gather the restless little ones around me for a story. It is so enjoyable! Will the mothers who used to be so friendly, snatch their children away from me after I show? Will they treat me as if I am unclean, and have leprosy?  Will I ever again hear Hadassah or Damaris lisp in their trilling voices,   “Mary’am, Mary’am, tell us a story! Tell us a story! You are the bestest story teller!”     Isaiah and Titus used to run up also, an' we would sit in the shade of the old sycamore tree. Even the clusters of aant’at, hushed their banter sometimes, although I can tell that some pretend not to listen!
     I really love telling the story of Ruth, but of course, it does not appeal to the boys. I am so glad she is part of my lineage!
   I wonder how Ruth would have felt if she was carrying the secret I am carrying. My, I would love to talk with her; I think she would so understanding.  

 Can you think of a story to share of when a friend in need was truly a friend in deed? Maybe your own sister did something really cool.   I'd love to hear about it in the comments section. 

Saturday, December 19

The Shepherd's Viewpoint

7th Tevet
December 20th
Dear Diary,
A knock sounded at the portal just now. Just a tiny knock that I may not have heard, if I had not been about to sweep my small pile of dust out the door. Lo, a young lad stood upon my threshold and handed me a bulky parcel which was wrapped in a fluffy white fleece.

"Oh, what a lovely lamb skin. Yeshua will be so cozy when He is snuggled up in it!  And what are these?" I took the topmost clay tablet and examined it with an interested, yet quizzical gaze.

"Do you not know who I am?" he questioned with a disappointed air. Feeling reproached, I realized he was more than just an errand boy, being unsure of his identity, I felt reluctant to venture a guess.

"I am the son of the head shepherd who visited you in the cave."

Recognition dawned. The lamp had been so dim and smoky in that cavern; he had hung shyly towards the back, but now I recognized his fair youthful features.

"Although we are poor in earthly goods", he explained in a quaintly grown-up manner, "we longed to present a gift to the Christ Child."

"What is this all about?" I asked, holding up the tablet.

"It is our memories of the night the angels came to proclaim the glad news. My Abba wrote it!"

"Why thank you, thank you--"

"Joel, the name is Joel bar Abia."

"Thank you, Joel. Would you care for something hot to eat before you go?" I had seen him eying the steaming barley loaves resting beside pottery dishes of freshly churned butter and a delectable honeycomb.

He shrugged his shoulder, reluctantly, I suppose, not wanting to admit how hungry he actually was. I knew it was a long way back to the hills where the shepherds had been keeping watch over their flocks for the last several weeks, so I thrust two freshly buttered loaves into his hands just as Baby started to cry.

Joel watched eagerly as I went to pick up Yeshua. Then he followed me inside and pressed his forehead against the Baby's, tickled Him under the chin and with a boyish hop, scurried out the door, headed towards the hills.

It is time to lay my reed pen down. Yosef will wonder why there are only two barley loaves to go with our soup today. I would hasten to make more, but the coals have grown cold and there is no time. We will just have to make do today by having extra vegetables.



Same day...
Dear Diary,
The shepherds' story was so incredible! I read it to Yosef  this evening while he was whittling away at a handle for some sort of tool, a bow-drill, I think.

(Yea, once again I am thankful that my dohd taught me to read.) I think Yosef enjoyed the story also and I noticed that his eyes were soft when he rose to tuck the blanket about the infant's tiny frame.

We have no room to store the clay tablets in our single-room dwelling, so I will be busy in the next few days transcribing them onto parchment before storing them in the chest with my diary and other precious scrolls. This will be a hard job for me because I have never copied another's writings before.

Remind me to mix up a new batch of ink. I am soon going to run out. I prefer to make my own, since every little thing I do to save money makes it easier for my hard working husband.
This is what the head shepherd wrote:

 I, Abia, bar Dothan will now apply myself to writing down the memoirs of the shepherds' visit to the newborn King. The night I will tell you about will always be fixed in my memory with the slightest detail as clear as if it had but recently happened.

It had begun as a typical night for us shepherds, although colder than some, and those who were not stretched out on the grass fast asleep were huddled close to the fire chatting. Some of us had our young sons with us. Zeke has a trusty old kelev, (dog,) that most of us appreciate very much as he can faithfully make the rounds by himself.
To my right, Aron was carefully pruning away on a twig in order to make a sharp point. For what purpose I knew not.

"So what do you think about the coming of the Mashiach, Judah," he asked?

Judah sighed heavily. "I only wish He would come. When the Yisraelites were in bondage to the Egyptians, they were their slaves for four hundred years before deliverance came. How long is it now since the prophet Malachi plodded where we plod? Four hundred years? HaShem, hallowed be His Name, is silent! We need another deliverer!" He glanced around quickly, then added,
"The Roman taxes are too much to handle as it is, but," his voice lowered, "But it is the tithes that our religious leaders place on everything--absolutely everything that really drains us! No wonder so many of our brethren give up and join the hordes of bandits!"

"But we want to serve His Name faithfully!" Aron, one of the shepherds, protested. "Even if that means tithing."

Judah was about to put him in his place with a heated word or two, but I quickly tried to mollify him.

"There was Judah the Maccabee, your ancestor," I pointed out. "He strove to do his part."

"Yea, and would to HaShem that he was here, now!" Judah snapped the stick that he had been peeling in half, and hurled both ends into the fire. "I would raise up an army myself, but it seems so futile. Many a revolt has flared up, but those dastardly Romans quench it in no time! Their horrible crosses line the hills and roadsides."

We all looked down. Most of us were probably thinking about the disaster in Sepphoris not many years thence, and we dreaded the thought of it being repeated. That was one uprising that resulted in far too many horrible crucifixions.

Judah's chin  jutted out, causing his thin, pointed beard to quiver as he glared at each one of us in turn.

"Think not that I am a coward because I am skulking around in these hills pretending to be a shepherd. They are ferreting out every son of the Maccabees as you well know, so we have to be sly. The time is not right."

None of us cared to disagree with him, nay, not with those fiery eyes boring into us.
We all fell silent. Some of us were inclined to stretch out on our backs; arms folded behind our heads and study the stars, others gazed meditatively at the glowing embers. I was watching the movement of the sheep. Gradually, it dawned upon me that they were becoming increasingly agitated for such a peaceful night.

My son, Joel, broke the stillness with a comment; "We have been learning about the lights in school," he ventured shyly.

"Lights? What lights?" Zeke prodded some sticks deeper into the coals then hunkered down beside Joel.

I spoke up; "He's referring to the lights in the temple in the time of Judah of Maccabee."
Zeke's face brightened, in the flickering fire light I thought I saw lingering smiles soften several countenances.
"That was a  miracle," Joel said.  As his father, I could tell that my son continued to feel ill at ease, surrounded as he was by all those rough, brawny shepherds.

Several heads nodded. There was a relaxing of the atmosphere as we sat back,  reminiscing about Judah and his father Matthias. I am sure 'our' Judah was proud to be a descendant of such brave and fearless warrior--leaders who valiantly rescued Yerushalayim from the wicked Syrian-Greeks."

"I can almost picture their dismay, however, when they finally slashed their way through to the temple, only to find it in shambles." Aron sighed and poked idly at the embers; "What must have shocked those battle-hardened soldiers the most after all that fighting was to find that Jehovah's lamp had gone out and they were able to find only enough pure oil to last for one day!"

"Yet, it lasted for eight days!" Joel's good friend, Micah, piped up. There was a huge grin on his face.

"Until they were able to make more oil," another little fellow added. We all nodded jovially.

"Is there some sig--sig-nif-ee-glance in light? "Micah asked. I hid my grin behind my quivering mustache. Micah always did love to use such ridiculously long words.

"It represents HaShem," I explained.

I had been keeping an eye on the kelev, dog while we talked. He seemed restless and uneasy.

Now, he sat down on his haunches, and half whined, half whimpered at the sky.

Zeke arched his hand over his eyes. "Can't see any strange prowlers out there . . . can you?" He unfolded his long frame and ambled over to the kelev.

"Look at that!" Joel breathed, pointing with a shaking finger. Far in the distance, one star seemed to be hurtling towards us. As it increased mightily in size, as one man, we were pulled to our feet to stare at it. Then we saw that it was the radiant form of an extraterrestrial being, an Angel from far beyond the starry skies.

Terrified, we prostrated ourselves on the ground, and buried our faces in our arms. As quickly as the fear overcame us, it was quenched by the most majestic, yet beautiful, voice any of us had ever heard.

"Fear not, for I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people." Fear not? I looked up timidly, yet expectantly, and then the rest of what he said sank in.

What does he mean? All people? Blacks? Scythians? Greeks? Romans? Gaul's, bond, and free? Or did he just mean Jewish people and their Yisraelites brethren across the Euphrates, and elsewhere? What a marvelous message we were receiving!

But wait! He is not done! We gazed upon each other with looks of incredible joy as the angel explained how we would know it was true.

"For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior which is Christ the Lord." A Savior? In the City of David? That's Beth Lechem!!

"Come with me! We must go find him!" But in the space of a heartbeat, before I could even utter those words, the sky seemed to explode with a thousand twinkling lights; in the blink of an eye they were transformed into the most magnificent gathering of Angels that this world has ever seen.

I will never be able to comprehend why we poor, lowly shepherds were given the privilege of hearing that awe inspiring celebration, but I am telling you, we were sure thrilled.

 It's a good thing that ole Zeke's kelev is a dependable critter, because wild hyenas could not have kept us woolly shepherds from rushing pell-mell into the city, trouping down the streets to find where baby Yeshua lay. You should have heard the shouting an' singing, an' general carrying on while we scurried over those hills.

It didn't last, though. Such a deep hush came over us when we stooped to enter the cave, and followed the smoky trail of the poor pilgrim's oil lamp. He led us, we were almost on tiptoe, to where the newborn Baby lay nestled in his weary, but happy mother's arms. We all dropped to our knees in worshipful adoration.

You should have seen Judah as he held that small infant. The tears trickled down his weathered, craggy cheeks and he kept murmuring;

"He's come; the Deliverer has come."

All glory, praise, and honor belong to our great Yahweh for allowing us the honor of worshipping His Newborn Son. The Light of the world arrived on Chanukkah.
https://www.createspace.com/4837922

Wednesday, December 16

Let's Get Into the Christmas Spirit

Chanukahs




Festival of lights
25th Chisleu
December 9th




He’s come! Yehoshua has come! I cannot begin to express my gratitude and adoration. What a privilege it is to be the first one to hold the treasured Son of Yahweh. Oh dear, tears are running down my face again. He is so precious. I just can’t say it enough. It tugs at my heart strings when I see how incredibly tiny and helpless He, the Son of El’Shaddai, is.
I wanted to cradle Him longer, much longer, but Yosef yearned to hold Him also. Yosef is sitting in the straw nearby and it makes me rejoice to see the man I adore cuddling the most wonderful Baby in the world.







25th  Chisleu
December 10th
Dear Diary,
This has been a strange and wonderful night. Yosef and I had no desire to sleep so we leaned against each other, gazing adoringly at the wide-eyed baby in our arms. I half wished that  (how quickly
we have shortened His name) would cry so I could cuddle and hush him gently with a lullaby or two. But He was so wide awake and calm, looking at us with those warm, beautiful eyes of His.

I almost think He knows who we are; but do not all fond parents imagine their  babies are smarter than they are capable of being? Who knows, maybe this one is. It will be interesting and delightful raising such a sweet boy. If I ever have another one, it will be much too easy to compare him with Yeshua, I fear.

It has been so cozy, almost homey in the cave tonight. A wee, sweet-faced kid scampered over to us and stared at our tiny boy inquisitively. When our baby made a soft mewing sound, the baby goat looked so surprised that I started to giggle.

Earlier, we heard some brawlers carrying on. They made me feel most uncomfortable, but someone must have told them to either be quiet  or leave so those of us who wished to sleep could sleep. There are others sharing our crowded quarters but they are far enough away that
we are afforded some privacy. It is so calm and peaceful now, as a little halo of light from the lantern surrounds our little family.

Hark! I hear something faintly in the distance! It’s music,like singing, or chanting perhaps. It must be the loveliest melodic sounds this world has ever heard. What can it mean?




Tuesday, December 15

The First Christmas Is Drawing Nigh


24th  Chisleu
December 9th
Dear Diary,
This has been a very, very hard day. I am almost too weary to write, but I must because such memorable things are happening. My body is being wracked with pain. I’ve clung to the poor donkey’s neck and I let my veil conceal my face so Yosef would not see how difficult it has been for me. Not that I fooled him for one moment. He is so anxious, he keeps asking whether or not we should press on to reach Beth Lechem’s khan, (inn), by nightfall or if he should let me rest more often.

As it is, many have tramped on ahead. We are left behind with the roving wild animals, the geshem,, and perhaps even bandits for company. But I do not need to think of that. My emotions are fragile for many reasons, somehow, I still know that Adonai,  hallowed be His Name,  will care for us and His own beloved Son.




24 Chisleu
December 9th
continued
This page will surely be unreadable because I can’t keep the tears from falling. We finally reached Beth Lechem by nightfall but there was no room at the khan, no room at all! All the rooms above the shelter for the animals were overcrowded with wealthy wayfarers, much wealthier than us. In the courtyard below, the animals had scarcely enough room to shuffle around.

The innkeeper seemed apologetic, but helpless. Yosef pleaded for him to suggest someplace—anywhere for us to stay, but the poor, overwrought innkeeper shook his head sorrowfully.
“I am sorry. So sorry,” the innkeeper said, stroking his long, wavy beard agitatedly. He lifted his hand to point at the people crowding around.
“See this multitude? They too are in the same predicament that you are in.”
“But is there not somewhere, anywhere that we can go?”

In Yosef’s desperation, he reached out to clutch the steward’s striped garment.

“Look, it is not for me that I am concerned,” Yosef continued, “t is for my wife! She is young, slight of build, yet great with child. I fear that all this traveling may bring travail upon her earlier than it ought. We need to find a shelter where she can rest.”

The paunchy innkeeper’s brow furrowed as he gazed around, as if looking for direction. Someone plucked at his sleeve, demanding attention, with a scowl he nudged him aside.

“On yonder ridge is the town, but you will fare no better there.  Nary a house is not overfilled with guests at this time. Many have long awaited the  census already,  and I fear no one is willing or able to take in more travellers.”

“But is there no where for us to go? We are of the lineage of David!

‘”The lineage of David? Aye, that should help, should help. Know you not of any relative you could stay with?”
            Yosef wrung his hands. “I know of none. We should have inquired earlier..

The innkeeper stepped back and fumbled with his sash. “This small town is not able to contain all those of David’s line.” He finally admitted, sighing heavily.
“Yonder ridge has its share of caves. Many of them will be used as stables in this present predicament, but if you can find a little rest in one of them, you are welcome to it. I will send a servant after you with fresh straw.

“If you require a midwife before the night is over, I may find a moment to check into it, but it will be nigh impossible to secure one at this time. More than one woman is in the same dire condition as your sweet wife.”

In gratitude, Yosef took his hand, clasped it, then reached for the lead strap on the donkey so we could clamber awkwardly down among the rocks in search of a grotto turned into a stable. I lowered the veil back over my face, lest Yosef would see the despair written there.

We did find a cave, however, without too much searching.

When Yosef was able to get the clay lamp lit, it seemed more cozy and inviting. It was rather crowded, unfortunately. Yosef is trying to
persuade some of our fellow cave dwellers to take their lowing, smelly, burden bearers and hustle off to give us a measure of peace.

I am so weary that all I want to do is remove my wet garments, find something dry to wear, and try to rest.  Yosef was rather anxiously fluffing up the fresh straw, which was delivered by a young lad with a hand cart, he is now shaking out our blanket.


I laid  the baby’s swaddling strips near the fire to dry. Fortunately, we had kept one blanket packed well so it wouldn’t get wet on the trip. It was somewhat damp in a couple places but it was better than nothing. We sat beside a central fire until I was warmed up, which seemed to take
forever, then we crawled under our one rather thin blanket together.
In the stall next to ours are two donkeys, tied up, their owners are lounging against a nearby wall. At the far end of the cave, there is some activity going on. I think a shepherd is about to aid a ewe giving birth. Will there be two male ‘lambs’ born before the night is o’er?

24th Chisleu
December 9th
Dear Diary,
I feel that my time is drawing nigh, I am anxious. It is frightening to think of having my baby without my mother, or a midwife nearby. I am worried about the baby. What will happen if He comes before we can move on to a better dwelling? This cave is not clean enough!

Two of the wayfarers, a middle-aged couple, were cooperative and helped us out. Some of the others growled that they were here first and were not at all inclined to be agreeable under such chilly weather conditions.

I fear they have been indulging too long in the wine that is red.

Oh, surely, surely Adonai, hallowed be His Name, will be with me during this difficult time. My every breath is a prayer that  Adonai will
protect His own Beloved Son and me.

By the dejected slope of Yosefs shoulders, I can sense that he feels that he has somehow failed me and us. I must stop writing now and tell him how warm and inviting it all looks by the light of the lamp. Surely these stabbing pains will ease now that I have a place to rest. It seems too soon for the little one to make His appearance.



Maybe you want this Christmas to be really refreshing. Maybe you are longing to have a real classical book to remind you of the true story of how Jesus came to earth and changed the world. Don't wait any longer. Here's a treasure that will be a precious reminder for years to come of how wonderful Jesus is. You might want to set it close to your Bible and use it as a Devotional, even.
https://www.createspace.com/4837922