Joseph's having a dream where an Angel's telling him to get married in spite of his doubts.
I've had those kind of dreams before, woke up and figured God wanted me to marry the girl ... so I did ... but it didn't work out.
Three children later ... one boy and two girls ... the marriage ended because the same Angel shows up to tell me about this other girl.
It's the same dream again ... the Angel tells me to marry the girl ... and even though, freshly divorced, I had doubts ... I did ... and it didn't work out.
She left me to follow a star in the west ... meaning inland ... away from the Ocean ... where mountain people live ... and city dwellers.
I stopped listening to Angels after that.
Like me that first time though, Joseph listened to the Angel and married the girl.
His wife claimed the baby had to be his because she hadn't slept with anyone else.
He had his doubts.
What they both seemed to agree on is the baby came from God.
I know exactly how they felt.
While Sarah clearly claimed the baby's mine, I was in no less shock than Joseph learning I'm gonna be a Dad ... at 60 years of age.
Nevertheless, Joe has a son and I had a baby girl.
Let me tell you something right now!
The most significant part of the Christmas story, for me anyways ... for Joseph too ... and I suspect for a great many others ... are these words:
"That which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit ..."
There is no doubt that every baby born in some form or fashion is conceived by the Holy Spirit.
I sure know our little girl was.
So was Robby and Becky's grandson William.
Our friend Tommy Holland's daughter "Katie" came out of nowhere too and ... Jesus what a blessing she turned out to be."
"For unto us a child is born," Linus explains to Charlie Brown and everyone who's ever watched knows what's coming next ... from out of nowhere ... in a nowhere land ... in a nowhere place ... salvation is born.
It's funny what we do when confronted with salvation.
Whenever Sarah and I take our two year old out to a restaurant for dinner, it's always fascinating.
You can immediately tell the baby haters from the baby lovers.
The baby haters froth at the mouth should a baby cry in public, as they eat and pay good money to do so, especially if there's ambiance ... because the innocent child is ruining everything.
The poor parents feel awful, ruining everyone else's meal, and take their child out of the room so everyone else can "enjoy" theirs.
Hey ... I've always thought it funny that Church's have special rooms for when a baby cries.
In those Churches where you don't have to check your baby in first ... to the Nursery ... there are these "Preacher first/Baby proof sound rooms" ... and if your baby cries in the middle of a service ... Mom ... maybe Dad but most likely Mom's ... asked to take the infant to a sound proof room with a speaker to hear the sermon and a one way mirror to watch the Preacher.
I always wondered what it would be like if the Lord Baby Jesus listened to one of these pitiful excuses for the word of God and burst out crying ... was taken to the "Preacher first/Baby proof sound room" ... and excluded from the service worshiping ... the Lord Baby Jesus!!
I think that's what happens in most Churches ... and most restaurants ... when it comes to babies ... and Jesus too.
That's why I love the Baby Lord Jesus.
Did you ever see the movie "Talladega Nights"?
Ricky Bobby prays to the "Lord Baby Jesus."
Interrupting the prayer, his wife says, "Hey, you know sweetie, Jesus did grow up. You don't always have to call him baby. It's a bit off and a bit off-putting to pray to a baby".
"Well," Ricky Bobby replies, "I like Christmas Jesus best and I'm saying Grace. When you say grace you can say it to grownup Jesus or teenage Jesus or bearded Jesus or whoever you want.
Ricky Bobby's wife tells him to "do the grace good so that God will let us win ..."
I gotta say I'm with Ricky Bobby on this one.
I like Baby Jesus best.
Grown up Jesus is so messy, demanding and says impossible things for us to live up to.
As far as we know, Baby Jesus never said a word.
It's hard to not love Baby Jesus most.
And, it's hard not to love babies most too.
Unless you're not a Baby lover ... preferring quiet dinners ... uninterrupted living ... never receiving unconditional love with tons of demands and intangible returns on your monetary investments ... but unconditional love nonetheless.
I was almost to the point where I was like Ricky Bobby's wife who continued her interruption of his prayer by saying, "You know what? I want you to say a good Grace so that God will let us win tomorrow."
But God interrupted my universe and gave us Che.
May as well be Baby Jesus as far as I'm concerned.
Saved my ass anyway.
Why did God send his only begotten son so that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have life everlasting?
To honestly answer the question, you have to start with the Baby ... who never says a word ... while giving unlimited unconditional love ... without ever saying a word ... letting you know the answer is completely on you.
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