Preparing For A Miracle

PREPARING FOR A MIRACLE

“What are you doing up at this hour, Marian?” Simon the innkeeper asked his wife.

“I had a dream; we must prepare for...” she told him.

“We are already full, what more can we prepare for?”

She patted his shoulder and reached for a lamp. Lighting it, she picked up a bucket. Filling it with water from the pot boiling on the fire, she took some cleaning herbs and threw them in.

“When you get a chance, bring a piece of heavy string to the stable for me, my heart,” she called over her shoulder as she headed for the small crude structure attached to the inn that they used as a stable.

As it turned out, the lamp wasn’t necessary as a bright light shone down into the stable making it as bright as day, Marian turned out the flame and set the lamp in a niche in the wall made for that purpose.

“The manger must be scrubbed out and fresh straw put in,” she murmured to herself.

“The straw on the floor is so dirty, I’ll remove the old and scatter fresh,” she said to the cow with the crooked horn.

Finding the string, she made a simple latch for the stable’s side door.

“The place must be as warm as possible for what’s going to happen, so I’ll secure the door.”

She worked hard until all was finished as she wanted it. Finally, she stood in the stable’s side door and looked up at the sky.

“I’m not exactly sure what’s coming, Father, but I know it will be a miracle,” she said as she tossed out the washing water and turned wearily with the empty receptacle to return to the inn.

It was a night for the whole world to remember.