Beginning tonight, you all are invited on a special journey to first century Bethlehem while still staying right here in Scottsboro, Alabama.  This will be taking place at Calvary Baptist Church (County Park Road and John T. Reid Parkway) and will begin each night at 6:00 p.m. and will end at 9:00 p.m.  Tonight will be the first night of  “A Night in Bethlehem” but if you cannot go tonight, you will have opportunities through Saturday night, December 19th.

This is a free Christmas event that everyone can enjoy.  Participants will become travelers who will journey in small groups on the grounds outside the church to different parts of Bethlehem.  Personal guides will lead participants though many places.  Commemorate you visit by a having a free picture taken.

Make sure to dress for the weather and that means LOTS of warm clothes, gloves, hats and several pairs of socks.  The outdoor journey will take about 30 minutes and no matter what the weather, the journeys will take place.  With many guides, the journeys will be happening frequently.

This would be a great time to go with family, friends and neighbors at the end of a busy work or school day.  What a great and festive way to enjoy and be reminded of what this SEASON is all about.  I have been told that “A Night in Bethlehem” will be a family experiences that you will never forget.  Think of it as this could have been you that made that journey that cold and frosty night….These were people just like you and I that were chosen to have the utmost faith in God and what he had planned for them. Taking your mind off of  “your life” now and putting yourself into the shoes of  Mary, Joseph, wisemen, shepherds, etc.

So, make plans (after dinner or before dinner) to experience the village of Bethlehem as it might have been the night Jesus was born.  Visit the shops, observe the villagers, see the animals and search for the special baby born that night.

With many other events, special services, etc. at local churches (which I will be sharing many of those with you in the coming days that have been sent to me), I thought it would be interesting to give you a little ”idea” of what it must have been like this night that changed the world forever.  The night that Jesus was born.

It is really hard to believe that it has been over 2000 years ago when an Angel appeared to a young Jewish woman name Mary. (I have heard that she could have been as young as in her teens).   Mary was just an ordinary person like us and was excited about being engaged to Joseph.  But her life was completely changed when she was told that she would not only have a baby boy but that he would be the Son of God.  She must have been extremely faithful to have the courage to say that she was the Lord’s servant and that she would accept whatever the Angel said.

Mary and Joseph lived in a town called Nazareth and Bethlehem was about 65 miles away which may not seem that far for us….but remember, Mary and Joseph were on “foot” which supposedly it took them several days to get there.  I always think of Mary riding on the back of a donkey to Bethlehem but there is nothing that says that in the Bible.  I think it is just one of those assumed “aspects” of this time.  Makes you realize just what an even tougher woman Mary must have been to be pregnant and walking for days to get to to Bethlehem so that they could register for a census ordered by the Roman emperor.

We all know that because there was no room in the Inn (which I am sure that there were not many hotel-like buildings in Bethlehem), Mary and Joseph had to spend the night in a stable (some have said that it could have been a cave of some sort) and that there were animals living there.  Trying to sleep while pregnant is difficult enough but I would think that sleeping on hay was miserable.  I have this feeling though that you never heard Mary complain not a single word.

It was that night, that Jesus was born.  This is the “picture” that we see in photos, nativity scene, etc.  It really is hard to think about what it must have been like that night when he was born.  Mary had no idea “why” she was chosen to be the mother of this baby that was really the son of God.  Joseph was more like the “adoptive/earthly ” father, or that is what I seem to always think…What an honor for him to be able to call himself the father of this child.

It was also that same night that some shepherds were watching over their flocks of sheep.  They were going about their own work as usual when out of no where, an Angel appeared to them and gave them the good news that a Savior, the Messiah, had been born.  You have to remember that these are just your ordinary people and were not used to Angels appearing before them and then they must have really been confused when they heard the words from the Angel.  But, I am sure that they are like many of us (myself included), that when you hear news that is great and unbelievable like this- they could not make their feet move fast enough to get themselves there. Ha!

When the Shepherds got to Bethlehem, they did find Jesus in the manger, just as the Angel had said.  This is when I like to remember again that they were “normal”- they were so excited about actually seeing this baby, that they had to spread the news to anyone and everyone who would listen to them.  Those people were in awe too.

It was later on, that the wise men saw a star in the sky that signaled the birth of a new king. (That is something that I did not know before today).  I am not sure how they knew where to go but they went to Judea, the region around Jerusalem and Bethlehem, to worship Jesus.  We always see three wise men in the books, photos, plays, etc. but really no one knows how many wise men made there way to see the baby that night.  There were 3 gifts and that is where the three wise men came into play.  I am thinking that there were several of each gift brought by many wise men.

In Judea, the wise men were called by a man named Herod.  He was the king of Judea.  I can see him being like the Mayor, Governor, etc and he “called” a meeting with these men and told them that he wanted to know exactly where this new king was so that he could go see him for himself and of course he lied to them and told them that he wanted to “worship him”.  We all know that was the furthest from the truth.

The wise men followed the star and that is when they ended up in Bethlehem and the star stopped directly over where Jesus had been laid in the manger.  They found Mary and Joseph and gave their congratulations along with the gifts that they had brought Jesus.  We know what those three gifts were that they brought.  The frankincense was burned to make a sweet smell (but not like baby lotion that we lather on our baby’s body) and the myrrh ws an expensive perfume.

After the visit with Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus, the wise men were probably very tired and while they slept (I am assuming they were sleeping), they had a dream which warned them not to go back to King Herod.  This is when they were even “wiser” and took a different route back home.

The wise men were smart in knowing that King Herod was up to ‘no-good’ because he was afraid that this NEW KING would replace him as king of Judea.  He had no clue that Jesus would grow up to be king of God’s spiritual kingdom, no king of Judea.

Because the wise men did not return back like they had been told to do, King Herod would only be able to succeed in killing Jesus if he came up with another plan.  That is when he sent the soldiers to Bethlehem to kill all the children who were under two years old.  He thought this would take care of Jesus since he would fall into that category.

But, God had another plan and had told Joseph in a dream that he needed to go to Egypt and do so now.  This dream was the reason that Joseph took Mary and Jesus to live in Egypt and would be kept safe from King Herod.  Egypt would be home for Joseph, Mary and Jesus until King Herod died, then they would return to Nazareth.

I also did not know that Jesus was around 12 years old the last time that the Bible mentioned Joseph being around his son.  But, in those 12 years, Joseph did teach Jesus the trade of being a carpenter.  From what I have read, many feel that Joseph would be considered a contractor today and did masonry and metal work.

Please know, that this is the way that I like to believe and tell the story but I know that there are many different ways that people interperet the Christmas Story.  So, if you do not agree with me, that is perfectly fine but I want to keep my on “interpretation” of this night like what I have shared with you above.  I never want to forget that these people were just like you and I in so many ways…

I think that is taking the “journey” that Calvary Baptist Church would be very interesting in getting a “picture” in our minds of the details of that night, the town, etc. that we usually take for granted when it comes to the night Jesus was born.

 Tomorrow, I will share with you more that my Purse Advertisers have going on and information that you may find interesting about these businesses.

There are several Christmas Sales (GREAT DEALS) that you will want to know about so make sure to check back tomorrow. 

One of them is;

Woods Cove Flowers has ALL of the Christmas Items 1/2 price (some exclusions apply) and you will not want to wait around on this.  Trust me, I have gone for 2 different items and I was a day late….I was not happy because I should have got them the first time that I saw them. Ha!  I learn my lesson and I am warning you so that you will not miss out on any great deals!!!  The sale is just starting today so you can still make it there and get Christmas goods at 50% off!!!

Until tomorrow- Hope you will make plans to take this journey that I am pretty sure that we all would enjoy and never think of that night in the same way.