Many people loved this piece when I first posted it on my blog a few years ago. For some reason it also drew some strong negative reaction. To each his own? I like writing this style of narrative, but perhaps reading it is a little bit of work. I. Hope. You. Enjoy.

Donkey. Dirty. Weary. Night. Nervous. Hopeful. Bethlehem? Census. Trip. Long. Baby. Today? Tomorrow? When? Anxious. Angel. Prophecy. Hope. Israel. Silent. Secret. Months. Nine. Why? How? Who? Me? Me. Virgin. Pure. Joseph. Good. Understand. Thankfully. Tears. Joy. Sorrow. Joy.

Room? No? No. Again? Where? Stable? Animals? Baby? Tired. Hay. Loud? Quiet. Cold. Fire. Warm. Joseph. Care. Bread. Water. Blanket. Sleep. Sleep.

Joseph! Baby! Labor. Pain. Contraction. Please. God?! Hours. Push. Breath. Sweat. Cold. Hot. Push. Work. Baby? Almost. Push. Scared. Excited. Tired. Hope. Brave. Remember. Gabriel. Now. Drink. Again. Push. Mother? Nurse? Anyone? Joseph! Yes! Now!

Boy! Cry! Blood. Clean. Hold. Kiss. Sweet. God. Wipe. Cheek. Hands. Tiny. God. Cry. Mother. Father. God. Shhhh. Comfort. Kiss. Tears. Joy. Morning. Sunlight. Baby. Beautiful. Jesus. Suckle. Quiet. Eyes. Open. Hair. Dark. Soft. Cloths. Wrap. First. Again. Second. Almost. Again. Wrapped. Tighter. Finally. Perfect.

Infant. God. Boy. Diapers. Breast. Sleep. Wake. Cry. Days. Week. Baby. Healthy. Temple. Proud. Go. Law. Sacrifice. Circumcise. Beautiful. Gate. Tall. Dove. Offering.

Amazed. Family. Mary. Joseph. Jesus.

Man. Old. Watching. Coming. Eyes. Wide. Hands. Trembling. Baby. Wants. Hold. Yes. Nice. Shouts. Wonder. Sings. Praise! God! Promised. Now. Salvation. Everyone. Light. Jew. Gentile. Glory. Israel. Crowd. Whispers. Talk. People. Simeon? Looks. Mary. Child. Man. Thoughts. Revealed. Soul. Pierced. His. Yours. Ours.

Woman. Interrupts. Old. Prophetess. Anna? Kind. Prayer. Eyes. Wide. Hands. Trembling. Shouts. Praise! God! Redemption. Jerusalem. People. Talking. Looking. Baby. Sleeping. Wonder.

Amazed. Family. Mary. Joseph. Jesus. Family. Tired. Home. Good. Baby. God.

When Joseph and Mary had done everything required by the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee to their own town of Nazareth. And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him (Luke 2:39-30 NIV).

The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language by Eugene H. Peterson Many have awaited the day Eugene Peterson would complete the entire Bible in his unique translational-paraphrase. Well, the wait is over!

Danny Sims is the preaching minister at the Altamesa Church of Christ in Fort Worth, Texas, and a longtime Heartlight supporter and friend.

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