Do you know the story...

…of the brave little donkey?

“Once there lived a little donkey whose owner beat him daily. A gentle man named Joseph felt sorry for the donkey and paid a high price for him.
Joseph and his pregnant wife, Mary, were kind to the donkey, who felt happy again. Joseph told the donkey he needed his help for a very important journey to a town called Bethlehem.
The donkey proudly carried Mary and waited while Joseph tried to find lodging. Upset that there was no room, the little donkey brayed so loudly that the innkeeper sent them to a stable where the woman gave birth to her baby, Jesus, whom the donkey kept warm with his soft breath.
A brave little donkey carried Mary and her babe.
That night was born our Savior, in a manger now he lay.
God bless the little donkey and the journey that he made.”
*Taken from http://www.stjames-liberty.org/stjames2/2015-advent-calendar/legend-of-the-christmas-donkey/

**********************************

Here is the true story of the Birth of Jesus (Luke 2:1-20, NIV)

The Birth of Jesus

2 In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. ² (This was the first census that took place while^[a] Quirinius was governor of Syria.) ³ And everyone went to their own town to register.
⁴ So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. ⁵ He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. ⁶ While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, ⁷ and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
⁸ And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. ⁹ An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. ¹⁰ But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. ¹¹ Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. ¹² This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
¹³ Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”
¹⁵ When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
¹⁶ So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. ¹⁷ When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, ¹⁸ and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. ¹⁹ But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. ²⁰ The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

******************************

My prayer is that this post helps someone, anyone who reads, turn their life over to Jesus Christ. Christmas is not about the gifts that we receive, the shopping, the food…no, it is about the reason we are here and have eternal life: Jesus Christ!