Christmas in a Barn
by Mary DeMuth
Some friends had a camp, and on that camp stood a barn. In the corner of the barn was a tiny apartment, flanked by this caboose and hundreds of acres of Texas pasture. We’d never been there before, so we followed directions at night, making plenty of wrong turns.
When we found the place, we drove a borrowed car over the cattle guard toward what would be our home for a month. String lights illuminated a small porch, a window and a door in the corner of an aluminum-sided barn. We hefted large pieces of luggage to the apartment.
And when we opened the door, Love welcomed us.
The place, usually completely unfurnished in the winter, was decked out with just the right amount of beds, couches and tables. The pantry was full. We had dishes and garbage cans, and cups and forks and food. But even more, we had a Christmas tree. Friends had hijacked the place, decorating it for Christmas. Cookies preened on the table.
I will never, ever forget that Christmas. We had so little. We felt the painful burden of failure. But we were loved, so terribly and wonderfully loved.
Christmas felt right there, in a barn. We heard the nickering of horses, the meowing of kittens, the clop of hooves against the barn floor. Chickens and goats and cows served as a holy object lesson of the incarnation. Although we were warm and clothed, we understood more keenly the Savior’s homelessness, how He left the splendor of heaven for the sodden earth. We experienced barnyard life alongside him, without much to call our own except our Heavenly Father and our sweet family.
He was enough, that Christmas. And He will always will be.
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A three strand pearl necklace will be given away on New Year’s Day.© 2009, Sunflower Faith. All rights reserved.
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Hi Mary:
Thanks for joining my blog today! I hope you will visit often.
I loved this post today [of yours]. When God brings us down to NOTHING – it usually means He has great gifts of treasure for us to find. So appropriate that you would be giving away a strand of pearls! God daily gives me tangible reminders of His grace and His presence in my life. I love Him MORE than anything in the entire world! And I know that He loves me! I’d love to win the pearls as a treasured reminder of His love and grace. Since my husband went to glory 3 years ago – I rarely am given jewlery of any kind. These are special pearls – because they are from God!
I’ll be back again………
Choosing JOY, Stephanie
Stephanie(Quote) (Reply)
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So great to hear from you Stephanie! It’s been really a great joy participating with the “Pearl Girls” and their “12 days of Christmas” postings and wow…talk about feeling encouraged with these posts.
They really capture our Heavenly Father’s blessings.
Twinkle Mom(Quote) (Reply)
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What a wonderful story Mary is sharing about the true meaning of Christmas — helping others when they are in need.
.-= Iris´s last blog ..The Winner: Kelly =-.
Iris(Quote) (Reply)
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Wow! What wonderful friends they had!
The story made me think of a book I loved to borrow from the library every year around Christmas called “Apple Tree Christmas”! http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?r=1&ISBN=9781585362707&ourl=Apple%2DTree%2DChristmas%2FTrinka%2DHakes%2DNoble&cm_mmc=yahoossp-_-plp-_-books3-_-Apple-Tree-Christmas-9781585362707
They lived in a house above the barn!
Hannah(Quote) (Reply)
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