Rather than recount how difficult the journey through the desert was,
suffice it to say that it wasn't much fun for Joseph, Mary and Josh.  They
travelled at night and slept during the heat of the day.  On the final
night, as they neared Bethlehem, Josh spied a large flock of sheep on the
outskirts of the town.
 
"You go on without me," he said to the weary human travellers.  "I'll catch
up with you.  I have some important business to be about right now."
 
Sharing a puzzled frown, Joseph and Mary watched as their enigmatic ferret
danced across the desert sands until he reached the pasture in which the
sheep were sleeping.  They became even more confused as Josh scampered from
sheep to sheep, whispering something into each of their ears.  Whatever he
was saying to them, it had the effect of waking the sheep up and causing
them to become agitated.  When their bleating succeeded in rousing the
shepherds who were supposed to be watching them, Josh bounded across the
sands and resumed his place in Mary's lap.
 
"What was that all about?" Joseph asked with more than a little concern in
his voice.
 
"Don't worry about it," Josh replied as he yawned and succumbed to a nap
attack.  "Just spreading a little good news."
 
"Trust him," Mary answered in reply to her husband's quizzical look.  "He
knows what will happen this night.  And, Joseph, please see if you can hurry
this donkey a bit.  My time is here."
 
"Oh, God," Joseph stammered as he prodded the small beast along.
 
"Exactly," Josh thought as he slipped deeper into sleep and welcomed a
familiar dream.
 
A few hours later, Mary laid her newborn Son into the hay-filled feeding
trough of a humble stable, for the inns in Bethlehem were filled with other
travellers that night.  A gentle hush settled over the place as a brilliant
new star burst into life and shed it's light on the stable.  Joseph wept
without shame as he held his wife and gazed at the Child.
 
"He was born in a lowly place," he said between joyous sobs.  "It's as it
should have been.  I understand now."
 
Mary caressed her husband's tear streaked face, then laughed as she spied
her bad little ferret as Josh leapt and danced in front of a flock of sheep,
and some very puzzled shepherds.  As she watched, the stable was surrounded
by creatures and humans of every description.
 
Josh busied himself with gathering everyone, and all creatures for miles
around to the stable.  His dance of joy that night was the most perfect
dance that had ever been danced.
 
When he was satisfied that everything was in order, he reverently climbed
into the manger and snuggled up to the newborn Child.
 
"Welcome, Lord.  Welcome and welcome," he sighed as the Baby grabbed and
pulled a tiny handful of ferret fur.  "I'm so glad that you are here.  Merry
Christmas."
 
Then, the angels began to sing, "Joy to the World!  Glory to God in the
Highest and the Lowliest.  Peace, for He is with you."
 
The end... or is it?
 
Merry Christmas to all from,
 
Paw Paw, Mee Maw, Tater and Odie. Heck, it's Christmas. Merry
Christmas from Thor and the cat critters too.
 
Joy to the World!
[Posted in FML issue 1779]