What the Christmas Pageant Is All About

Baby Jesus wore a blue snowsuit with a faux-fur-trimmed hood.
All the Angels had puffy coats under their robes.
The Shepherds sported blue jeans and white Nikes.

Mary had a kidney transplant three weeks ago.
The Sheep was played by a three-year-old boy who had to be persuaded to take off the Eagles hat underneath his furry-eared cap.
Due to a shortage of teenage boys, there were almost Two Kings instead of Three.

Mary’s pony stopped along the path to Bethlehem to graze on some leftover autumn leaves.
The goat butted the Shepherds and the Sheep.
Most of the choir members had colds and couldn’t sing.
We were right next to a Dumpster.

It was a beautiful sunny day.
There were so many people we didn’t have enough chairs--but there were plenty of cookies and gallons of hot cocoa.
All the children played their parts wonderfully.
The pastor sang with the choir, and at the end everyone sang “Joy to the World.”

At the pageant, we reflected on the miracle at Bethlehem.
We were thankful for our warm clothing. Baby Jesus probably wasn’t so lucky.
We were thankful for the children who eagerly donned angel wings and shepherds’ robes.
We were thankful for a young girl’s new lease on life thanks to a generous organ donor.
We were thankful for the cookies, and the cocoa, and the fellowship shared after it was all over.
We were–and are–thankful for the miracle that brought us all here in the first place.