A HOLY DIFFERENT KIND OF JOURNEY...

And now for something completely different:  Susanna Hill's Holiday Contest!

The goal is to write and enter your own holiday version of "'Twas the Night Before Christmas"

before December 22nd.  The prizes are second to the challenge of composing your own verse to mirror the holiday season.  What a variety of entries awaits you on her website...take a peek.  Each one is an 

original, and so fun to read!

Camels resting between journeys

My passion is to make Scripture come alive for folks, so, as you can see, I have chosen the traditional route.  Hopefully, it will make the Christmas story more real to you this year.  Jesus is the ULTIMATE GIFT!

The hills below Bethlehem where the shepherds heard the announcement!

'TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE JESUS WAS BORN

T'was the night of His birth, and all through the town,

Not a inn had a room, no space to be found.

Crowds came to pay taxes, the rooms were all full,

Rome needed money its deep pockets to fill.

The sun had just set, the stars had come out,

Bethlehem was quiet, without even a shout.

The town-folks were nestled in bed fast asleep,

The babies were dreaming, they made not a peep.

When down the dark path, there came Joseph and Mary,

They were newly engaged, and promised to marry

So tired from the journey, Mary held a surprise

God's Son, in her womb, a baby disguised

But, who is this baby about to be born?

Isaiah the Prophet told all the forlorn,

"A maiden will give birth to a miraculous son,

Immanuel, "God with Us", to bless everyone!

The couple rode in to Bethlehem town

The donkey paced slowly with a clip-clop sound

Could they possibly hope for a room in the inn

In this town which was home of Joseph's poor kin?

They knocked at each inn, on door after door

Not knowing what treasures the night had in store

For those who would raise this prophesied lad

The one of whom truly the world would be glad.

One inn had a stable...the couple praised God!

They were tired of the precarious road they had trod

Joseph freshened the hay while dear Mary laid down

As the lambs made a quiet and low bleating sound.

With pain and then joy, Mary birthed in the night

The Pure Son of God!  The sky was so bright

With a dazzling star of enormous proportion,

Which wise men did follow to show their devotion.

Then out in the fields the shepherds did watch

their flocks on the hillside, so no danger could touch.

The sky went ablaze and with angels abounded

The shepherds did tremble and fell to the ground.

"Fear not!" the bright angels did shout with one voice

"For you, on this day, there is cause to rejoice:

Behold the Babe in Bethlehem's stall;

A Savior, God's Son, who brings peace to all!"