timbo
Deceased
The old cow and the small donkey stood side by side using each other to stay warm this cold night. The little manger was owned by an innkeeper who could barely keep rooms for people let alone separate stalls for the animals.
The cow was dozing but keeping her cud fresh with chewing but her eyes were almost closed when she heard voices.
In her simple cow mind she sensed something different. She thought, "The man has already thrown down hay and straw for us and we have our water so why is he here?"
Other voices could be heard. Another man and a very soft womans voice. The woman's words sounded strained like she was in pain. Animals have an instinct that seems to alert them when someone is hurt or even sad and the old cow and the donkey turned and opened their eyes. Coming in the door was the "man who fed us" and an older man and a small woman who was walking with much difficulty.
The old cow,who had birthed many calves in her life sensed the woman was pregnant and that was causing the hurt. Old cow knew that her time was soon.
Why are they being put here,the donkey thought? They never saw strangers in the old barn and yet donkey saw the new man put down some blankets and help the small woman to lie down.
It was so cold! The donkey and old cow were so grateful that they didnt have to stay out with the sheep in the pasture.
Without thought,but an instinct felt, the donkey and old cow edged over closer to the new man and small woman to share their warmth with these strangers.
The time was near for the small woman. The donkey,who had never seen strangers this close,leaned down and with his nose,started pushing the straw that was still fresh into a pile near the woman.
A new voice! But with no words! Just a healthy crying out and then into a gentle cooing came from this little baby that was now in the small woman's arms.
The woman laid there exhausted,while the new man took the straw from in front of the woman and made a mattress from it and placed a small blanket in the center of it. The woman started to nurse the new baby and all that could be heard that silent night was the sound of a suckling babe and the contented sighs from the new mother and the babe now wrapped in swaddling clothes. The baby fell asleep,suckling,but now satisfied with a full belly of warm mother's milk. The new man picked up the baby and gently and softly placed this child on the blanket and fluffed the straw up to keep the child warm.
More voices! And the sound of sheep almost muttering their bleating,not like they were alarmed but content to come to this lowly shelter.
The voices belonged to shepards who almost tip toed through the open doorway and then as one,all knelt in front of this child!
The old cow and donkey sensed something and they shuffled and shifted their weight from side to side.
The cow,donkey and even the sheep started feeling this soft warm breeze that was filling the small manger with a warmth that is only felt in mid summer. Not the heat of full day,but the gentle warmth that comes after a day of sun. The warmth that lets you feel more content,and more able to be at peace.
Strange thoughts were going through the animals heads..........something beyond the instincts that they had always felt, but almost man-like thoughts filled their minds!
Behold,the thoughts said to the animals,this child is special and there will be none like him. And now the warmth was not only filling the manger but was creating a soft glow like a fire that was far away but close. No heat,just the light. This confused the animals at first but the voice in their head,that was so gentle like the baby there,told them that they were special and were witnessing something that one day would change the whole world.
For this night and this night only,the animals there,the old cow,the donkey and the flock of sheep were hearing human thoughts so they could understand what was here.
The animals all started to face this baby and all laid down and even bowed their heads.
The humans being wrapped up themselves in this momentous night,didnt even notice what the animals were doing. But the baby knew. He opened his eyes and looked first at old cow who was only feet away from him. Then the babe's eyes went to the donkey,then the sheep.
With that look,a peacefulness that they had never had,flowed over them and they knew they were witnessing an event that would change mankind,and the world forever.
Tomorrow,they would go back to who they had been,animals with instincts but no human thoughts. But tonight,they had been blessed with a grace that filled them to overflowing.
Merry Christmas everyone.
Tim
The cow was dozing but keeping her cud fresh with chewing but her eyes were almost closed when she heard voices.
In her simple cow mind she sensed something different. She thought, "The man has already thrown down hay and straw for us and we have our water so why is he here?"
Other voices could be heard. Another man and a very soft womans voice. The woman's words sounded strained like she was in pain. Animals have an instinct that seems to alert them when someone is hurt or even sad and the old cow and the donkey turned and opened their eyes. Coming in the door was the "man who fed us" and an older man and a small woman who was walking with much difficulty.
The old cow,who had birthed many calves in her life sensed the woman was pregnant and that was causing the hurt. Old cow knew that her time was soon.
Why are they being put here,the donkey thought? They never saw strangers in the old barn and yet donkey saw the new man put down some blankets and help the small woman to lie down.
It was so cold! The donkey and old cow were so grateful that they didnt have to stay out with the sheep in the pasture.
Without thought,but an instinct felt, the donkey and old cow edged over closer to the new man and small woman to share their warmth with these strangers.
The time was near for the small woman. The donkey,who had never seen strangers this close,leaned down and with his nose,started pushing the straw that was still fresh into a pile near the woman.
A new voice! But with no words! Just a healthy crying out and then into a gentle cooing came from this little baby that was now in the small woman's arms.
The woman laid there exhausted,while the new man took the straw from in front of the woman and made a mattress from it and placed a small blanket in the center of it. The woman started to nurse the new baby and all that could be heard that silent night was the sound of a suckling babe and the contented sighs from the new mother and the babe now wrapped in swaddling clothes. The baby fell asleep,suckling,but now satisfied with a full belly of warm mother's milk. The new man picked up the baby and gently and softly placed this child on the blanket and fluffed the straw up to keep the child warm.
More voices! And the sound of sheep almost muttering their bleating,not like they were alarmed but content to come to this lowly shelter.
The voices belonged to shepards who almost tip toed through the open doorway and then as one,all knelt in front of this child!
The old cow and donkey sensed something and they shuffled and shifted their weight from side to side.
The cow,donkey and even the sheep started feeling this soft warm breeze that was filling the small manger with a warmth that is only felt in mid summer. Not the heat of full day,but the gentle warmth that comes after a day of sun. The warmth that lets you feel more content,and more able to be at peace.
Strange thoughts were going through the animals heads..........something beyond the instincts that they had always felt, but almost man-like thoughts filled their minds!
Behold,the thoughts said to the animals,this child is special and there will be none like him. And now the warmth was not only filling the manger but was creating a soft glow like a fire that was far away but close. No heat,just the light. This confused the animals at first but the voice in their head,that was so gentle like the baby there,told them that they were special and were witnessing something that one day would change the whole world.
For this night and this night only,the animals there,the old cow,the donkey and the flock of sheep were hearing human thoughts so they could understand what was here.
The animals all started to face this baby and all laid down and even bowed their heads.
The humans being wrapped up themselves in this momentous night,didnt even notice what the animals were doing. But the baby knew. He opened his eyes and looked first at old cow who was only feet away from him. Then the babe's eyes went to the donkey,then the sheep.
With that look,a peacefulness that they had never had,flowed over them and they knew they were witnessing an event that would change mankind,and the world forever.
Tomorrow,they would go back to who they had been,animals with instincts but no human thoughts. But tonight,they had been blessed with a grace that filled them to overflowing.
Merry Christmas everyone.
Tim
Never could make it to midnight. Recently I was trying to duplicate mulled apple cider, and descovered a German Christmas tradition site. Lo and behold there was the legend. Figures for my great grandfather was from Germany. Timbo's story brought all this back. Great story, I plan to read it to my 3. kids today after the hoopla around here. So many thanks to Timbo for our holiday story. Have a great day Inky
