Celebrating Christmas From Both Sides of the Barn Door...

Morris and I have always included our animals in our Christmas celebrations. An extra large bone for the dog, special treats for the cats, and of course an extra ration for our beautiful horses. Since our first Christmas with horses as part of the family Morris and I have always gone for a Midnight Christmas eve ride. Well it used to be at midnight but now that we are older, we ride a little earlier, so that we can enjoy our new Christmas tradition of being asleep by 10 o’clock.

It seems only right to include the animals in our Christmas celebrations, since they were a big part of the very first Christmas celebration. I have come to believe that being born in a stable was not the worst way for the Savior of the world to make His entrance, but the best way. It is in the stable that we learn the importance of time; we learn what needs doing now and what can wait. It is in the stable that we learn that there are things that we can’t do alone and that it’s okay to ask for help.

And it was in the stable that I came to understand that the difference between life and death is but a breath. And that there are things that we can’t control no matter how much we would like to.

I have learned that wealth is not measured by what is in the bank, but by what is in your heart and by who is in your life.

I love the story that tells us, that while the rest of the world slept oblivious to blizzards and miracles; a young couple knelt in the dirty straw waiting to be part of the most climactic event of all time.  And that for just that moment it didn’t matter, what was waiting for them on the other side of the barn door.

On the other side of the barn door there will be storms and there will be sadness. Life will be a blessing for some and a tragedy for others. And people being what they are, there will always be wars and rumours of wars, but this is the season to pause and appreciate the miracle of life and love and family, this is the season to take time to enjoy, to take time to celebrate and to share our many blessings. It is the season to wish well our friends and neighbors as well as strangers.

So from our barn to yours we wish you all the very Merriest of Christmases.

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