December 14 – “Goats”

I almost didn't think about our house at all today.  It was Sunday, so I had all kinds of other things to think about.  Also, I was still feeling pretty crummy.  I had no idea how long I'd be able to last during the teaching.  But Sunday morning worked out really well.  We had a lot of feedback during the teaching, so I didn't have to make all the points myself.  Lots of smart people out there.  We got all set up for school tomorrow, and plans began in earnest for the new approach to Christmas caroling that was to come tonight.   That's what made today memorable, I think.  We had a pretty good crowd.  Lots of food and hot chocolate and apple cider.  Our plan was to dress up the little kids in Bible era costumes and have them stand around a manger we had.  The Stones were bringing three of their goats, so we would have some live animals as well.  The rest of us were going to stand behind them and sing carols.  All set up at the corner by the traffic light.  Sounded like a great plan.  And we've never done it that way before, so … why not give it a try?    Well, our plans didn't work out quite as we planned.  The manger was there.  The goats were there.  The red-headed doll playing the part of Jesus was safely hidden beneath blankets in the manger.  But some of the kids couldn't get there, and the ones who were there kind of balked at this weird new idea.  So we all just gathered around the manger and started singing.  By the time we got to the 17th song several cars had rolled down their windows and encouraged us.  More than a few cars ran the stop sign.  One family parked their car and joined us! I would say it was a very successful Seaside-style event.   So what kind of spiritual application did I get out of today?  It came from the goats.  Well, one goat in particular.  A black, shaggy one.  They said it was an angora, whatever that means.  A little two-year-old (Ian) insisted that it was a sheep, and I wasn't going to argue with him.  Anyway, my old legs got tired after awhile, so I sat down in the grass next to the manger.  About that time two motorcycles roared up to the sign.  The goats didn't like it, to say the least.  The black shaggy one crawled right over me to hide.  With all my vast knowledge of goats, I started talking to it, trying to settle it down.  Now, I'm a dog kind of guy, and I talk to my dogs.  You know, "Sit.  Stay.  No, Fritz!"  But this felt strange.  Talk to a bag of shag that was born to make sweaters.  She calmed down, though.  Yeah.  I got word that it was a she.  I think it even had a name, but I didn't hear that.    So she warmed up to me and moved around behind the manger.  That's when she did something that kind of struck me.  She stuck her head into it as if to eat.  I remember thinking, "That animal knows what the manger is supposed to be for.  It's a feed trough, and she was hoping for a snack."  Now, I could go from there and make a good application about what the manger was really for that first Christmas.  But get this.  After we finished and were heading inside, Jim, the Mr. Green Jeans owner of the goats told me that the black, shaggy, bag of expensive scarves was not looking for a snack after all.  She was looking for a place to sleep.  Seems these goats have found a new use for the feed troughs at home.  They jump in them and take naps.    OK, now I was really excited.  They animals had made my application for me.  They knew better than all of us what that manger was really for.  It was for feeding, sure.  After all, Jesus said, "I am the bread of life.  He who comes to me will never go hungry.  And he who believes in me will never be thirsty" (John 6:35).   But more importantly, it was for sleeping – a place for a little baby to sleep.  "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."  What a Christmas story.  Maybe I can come up with a Children's story for Christmas Eve.   Father, thank you for my experience sitting with the goats.  Show me how I can keep someone warm this Christmas.  Amen.