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By Sue Staton

Christmas comes once a year and it is the most beautiful time of the year for so many people.

For me and my family, the birth of Christ is remembered each year by the reading of the Christmas story found in Luke 2:1-14. This story begins with Mary and Joseph having to go pay taxes in their city due to a decree that Caesar Augustus had ruled over his people.

As I have mentioned before in my article I will forever be grateful for my third grade teacher. She had printed the Bible’s story on our third grade class wall and we said it orally for several days before Christmas. As a result I memorized all the verses and have held them dearly in my heart each year.

Her name was Mrs. Fannie Morton. Fortunately this was at a time when the Bible was often read in school and the Ten Commandments were posted as we entered the school.

As an adult one year after I had married I did write my third grade teacher, Mrs. Morton and thank her for having us to recite that daily.
As the Bible story goes, Mary and Joseph were weary from a day of traveling to pay taxes and riding a donkey. Mary was ready to give birth to a child. Joseph tried to find an inn for them to spend the night, however he found out there were no rooms available due to so many coming to pay their taxes.

This baby ended up being born in a manger in a stable with the animals.

The Wonderment of Christ birth in Bethlehem and the star that shone so brightly that even the shepherds in the fields had to follow it was amazing. Even Three Wise men had to come to see what was happening and try to understand it all.

Little did Mary and Joseph know that night of Jesus birth that their baby boy who would walk among men would be a king above all kings and who would give hope to the world.

Hope for the world. I realized that this hope is here for all of us now. So many are suffering and we need to be reminded of this often.

I think of all the sadness that I have seen happen these last two years with the pandemic and things that have happened within my family and those of my friends. We have lost so many dear friends this past year. Within a two week period four close friends of mine have died and now this week another friend’s daughter was found dead from Covid. It seems everyday we hear sad news.

I hurt for all who have lost loved ones from death.

I hurt for the parents who lost school children from school shootings. I hurt for all who are homeless due to tornadoes, floods or fire. I hurt for the lonely. I hurt for children who are abused in any way. There are so many things that goes on in our world daily. Then I am reminded that not everyone is going to be happy this Christmas.

I am also reminded of the beautiful gift of Christ and know that no matter what happens in our lives we still have his love, his compassion, and his acceptance. I also know we are promised that he will never leave us or forsake us. We only have to ask him to guide us and get us through our hard times. It is at these times in our lives that sometimes he has to carry us

My hope for all during this Christmas is that we put Christ in our Christmas and never put Merry X mas because X means unknown. Christ is known and what Christmas is all about.