New neighbors for the holiday season

A few days ago, my husband forwarded me the following email message.

  From: josephmary438@hotmail.com
  To: dearhusband@email.com
  Cc: sheperds@hillsnearbethlehem.com, wiseguys@the_east.net
  Sent: Saturday, December 20, 2014 4:06 AM
  Subject: Re: stable for rent

  Dear Dr. DMA,

  My name is Mary. My husband and I are looking for a nice barn for a  
few days and noticed that you seem to have one available. We are only  
a couple of inches tall, and we don't play loud music or anything. We  
have with us three kings and a shepherd. They also keep to themselves  
and don't listen to loud music. Do you allow animals? We also have a  
couple of sheep. We will clean up after them; their poop is probably  
so small to you that you wouldn't notice it anyhow. We really like the  
pictures you have on your entertainment center and hope we will have  
some like that when we can afford it. Unfortunately, the inns around  
here are really expensive. We tried the one next door but they said  
they are full. Could you please let us have a place to stay until Dec.  
26th?

  Mary and Joseph

  p.s. Do you have a cat? We will stay with you regardless, but we are  
hoping not. Our sheep had accidents last year by falling off the cliff  
and we are sure they are not suicidal.


I told him since nobody was using the empty stable on the bookcase, that was fine with me.

  From: dearhusband@email.com
  To: josephmary438@hotmail.com
  Cc: sheperds@hillsnearbethlehem.com, wiseguys@the_east.net
  Sent: Saturday, December 20, 2014 7:45 PM
  Subject: Re: stable for rent

Dear Mary and Joseph,

We would love to have you come and stay with us. You can come as soon  
as you want and stay through Epiphany. We do have a cat, but he is not  
as much of a climber as he was in his younger days, so your sheep will  
probably be safe, although if they fall to their deaths, we can  
reincarnate them and put them back in the stable for you: no worries.  
Also, the sheep poop is no problem. A little Pledge at the end of the  
holiday season will take care of it, I'm sure. See you soon!

Dear Husband and FrauDoktorDoctor


Do you like how he mentions "a little Pledge at the end of the holiday season"? Guess who dusts around here.


  From: josephmary438@hotmail.com
  To: dearhusband@email.com
  Cc: sheperds@hillsnearbethlehem.com, wiseguys@the_east.net
  Sent: Saturday, December 21, 2014 3:09 PM
  Subject: Re: stable for rent

Dear Dr. DMA,

That sounds wonderful! Thank you so much for your generosity this  
holiday season. My husband and I will move in right away. We will  
probably see you tomorrow. Again, thanks so much!

Mary


Dear Husband forwarded Mary's response to me proclaiming, "They're coming!"

And sure enough, the next morning they arrived: Mary, Joseph, Caspar, Balthazar, Melchior, Hozie with his wife Talitha and their little girl Marta, and a couple of sheep. Even the innkeeper Gilad came out to see what all the fuss was about.

"For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger." And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward all."

~Luke 2:11-14 KJV

The Word became flesh and blood,

    and moved into the neighborhood.

We saw the glory with our own eyes,

    the one-of-a-kind glory,

    like Father, like Son,

Generous inside and out,

    true from start to finish.

~John 1:14 The Message