Away in a manger...

Away in a manger, no crib for a bed,

the little Lord Jesus lay down his sweet head.

The stars in the bright sky looked down where he lay,

the little Lord Jesus asleep in the hay.

The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes,

but little Lord Jesus, no crying he makes.

I love you Lord Jesus! look down from the sky,

And stay by my cradle till morning is nigh.

Be near me Lord Jesus, I ask you to stay

close by me forever, and love me I pray.

Bless all the dear children in thy tender care,

and fit us for heaven to live with you there.

I love that hymn. I remember singing it at Christmas when I was very small. I remember my children also singing it when they were very small and in a Christmas pageant.

Some children were cows with black and white "Holstein" costumes, others were shepherds knocking over baby Jesus in the manger with their cardboard staffs, and still others were supposed to be "wise men", dressed in their mothers fancy scarves and fake jewels.

Mary and Joseph would look at the rubber baby Jesus attentively (now and then) and give out a few side-ways glances and snickers at the thought of them being actual parents! The angels peered down from their heavenly perch on the platform, as chunks of fake feathers flutterd downward to the holy, yet rugged home-made manger.

All the Sunday School teachers would be standing by, close to the action, yet partially out of sight in anticipation of some wild catostrophic set design flaw. They are on red alert and when a long pause of silence takes place, they take action and whisper lines loudly to wee ones who have totally been taken up with their "new found fame", waving to grandma and daddy with big "HI's" and being oblivious to their "holy surroundings".

The cow and the wise man knew their lines at practice yesterday, but with the lights shining brightly into their tiny faces, the words whispered behind them have a vague familiarity but not enough to get them remembering exactly what is needed of them.

Memories............

Ah yes. I think Jesus must smile......laugh even........at our attempts to recreate His birth story.

"No crying he makes".......I laugh at the thought. That stall must have been pretty noisy, actually. Moooooooo, moooo, baaaaaaa ......... Whaaaaaa .......whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa......between animals and a new born, I can imagine the whole scene must have been far from peaceful -somewhat like the Christmas pageant, I'm thinkin'.:-)