Photo courtesy of hedweb.com
While they were there, the time came for the baby
to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son.
She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger,
because there was no room for them in the inn.
Luke 2:6-7
This last week in a Florida school cafeteria, the fire alarm went off, startling administration and students alike. This was not a scheduled fire alarm practice, and the school was quickly evacuated. Kitchen staff was questioned, but each person claimed innocence in setting off the alarm. No fire was discovered in the facility and it was quickly deemed to be a false alarm. After the children returned to their classes, the administration viewed the security tapes from the kitchen, and immediately found their perpetrator: a squirrel. The camera caught a perfect shot of the squirrel running up a doorjamb, jumping onto the handle of the fire alarm, hanging there for the slightest second, then scurrying away, no doubt startled by the loud noise that ensued.
Animals are wonderfully complex creatures, a joy to watch and for some species, a joy to have as pets and companions. One of my favorite Christmas carols is a song regarding the birth of Christ from the animal’s perspective. It is a common assumption that there were animals in the stable cave when Mary and Joseph entered there on that night long ago: sheep and goats, perhaps, or chickens. The owner might have had a favorite dog, or a stable cat. There must have been some animals housed there, for Joseph used a feeding trough and hay to make a soft bed for his newborn son.
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