Advent (2): Mary's Christmas Dream

Just what is Christmas?

It wasn't December yet when I happened to see a TV ad for a "Christmas in Disneyland" complete with snowmen, Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and friends. A few close buddies who happened to catch that ad started wondering what a wonderful thing it would be to celebrate Christmas there. Nothing wrong with Disneyland, I was thinking to myself... "heck....... just what has Mickey and Donald and Goofy got to do with Christmas anyway"?!

Last Sunday, we were at the mall and smack in the lobby was a giant snow-house with Santa, reindeer, sleds, and all things merry and bright with the theme "A Candy Christmas" - with lots of yep, you guessed it, candy of all shapes and sizes!

Then I found this story in my Sunday bulletin:

Mary's Christmas Dream

I had a dream, Joseph.

I don’t understand it, but I think it was about a birthday celebration for our son.

The people in my dream had been preparing for about six weeks.

They had decorated the house and bought new clothes.

They’d gone shopping many times and bought many elaborate gifts.

It was peculiar, though, because the presents weren’t for our son.

They wrapped them in beautiful paper and stacked them under a tree.

Yes, a tree, Joseph, right inside their homes! They’d decorated the tree with sparkling ornaments.

There was a figure like an angel on the top of the tree.

Everyone was laughing and happy.

They gave the gifts to each other, Joseph, not to our son.

I don’t think they even knew him.

They never mentioned his name.

I had the strangest feeling that, if our Jesus had gone to this celebration he would have been intruding.

How sad for someone not to be wanted at his own birthday party!

I’m glad it was only a dream. How terrible Joseph, if it had been real!’

Author Unknown.

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My wife made a wry comment.... "looking at how we celebrate Christmas today... it was NOT really a dream, was it?!