Life is short…but the Journey is long. Emotion does not facilitate a smooth walk. At this wonderful time of year, we think of the Christ Child in the manger in Bethlehem. The Christmas Story is enriching and captivating…and is a model for our lives. We read with great sorrow that there was. no room in the Inn. We are certain that if we had been the Innkeeper…we would have given them our bed and accommodations. Yet millions of people are making the trek to Bethlehem with little or no help from any of we Innkeepers.

Pastor Kerry’s sermon yesterday set me to ponder my Christian Journey. I recall when I was a young man in high school I wanted first and foremost to be prepared for eschatology and the events of the last days…and perhaps the battle of Armageddon. I wondered if I would attain the ripe old age of 40. The book of Revelation had some extremely mysterious things to say. In my mind, the most important message of Christ was to love each other as he loves us. I read the accounts of Jesus healing the sick and opening the blinded eyes and even raising the dead. Many people eschew the use of physicians as they know if they pray hard enough…they will be healed.

Christ is coming and we are overjoyed. As Pastor Kerry said…’ Do you think that the Peaceable Kingdom is just going to appear…God called us to be Peacemakers.’

Dr. Ahmad had been a heart doctor in Syria. He and his wife Abia had lived an upper-middle-class lifestyle. Now they were refugees in the United States. They had lived in an apartment that had burned Saturday night. They escaped unhurt but lost what little they had. Abia worked at Walmart while Dr. Ahmad drove a taxi. After being displaced from their home they had the money for two weeks in the Quality Inn that was two miles from their burned-out shell of an apartment. Miss Vickie who was the manager of the Quality Inn asked Abia what they were going to do. Abia did not know…she was eight months pregnant and had just taken maternity leave from Walmart…and she and the doctor were scared. Vickie said, ‘You must come and stay with me…I live alone and have a big house that sits on a lovely pond.’ Abia began to cry and then she embraced Miss Vickie.

‘My greatest Christmas Joy in 2022 is to have Dr. Ahmad and Abia with me…they are a blessing, ‘ said Miss Vickie! Southern Illinois Healthcare has agreed to cover the expense of her birth and I know that the Ahamads will have a beautiful baby.

‘Today I understand what it is to be a Christian,’ Dr. Ahmad proclaimed…God Bless our new friend…with her help 2023 will be a good year!’