Impossibilities
Terror filled her eyes. The horror penetrated her heart. Her baby boy struggled to climb the hill. He struggled to take even the smallest of breaths. It took all her strength just to hold back from running to him with open arms. Her heart melted with fear and grief, for she knew of her son’s innocence. She knew the reason for all this pain and humiliation. She knew there was a reason far deeper than even the Romans knew, and that is why the tears fell. Tears only a mother could cry. Tears that took root deep in her heart.
He was a strong child in every way. He understood the scriptures better than anyone. He had a passion for people. Now, only a handful of people mourned for him now. She forced her eyes back up, forced herself to watch the horrid things that were happening to her son. The ropes that held him to the wood chafed his wrists, raw. The soldiers were just about done. She held her breath as the nail pierced his flesh. She felt every bit of the pain shoot through her body as she imagined it did for her boy. He so loved each of these people, each person that had jeered, taunted, whipped, and beat on him in the last few hours. Despite their cruelty, He still loved them. She saw it on His face how much His heart ached for them: All of them. He was doing this for them. It was something she struggled to understand. Even as her little boy, her son had held wisdom far greater than even her husband possessed. When the angel had told her she was going to give birth to God’s son, she knew it was going to be a different experience from what all her friends would go through. Even with all the warning, nothing could have prepared her enough for the pain she was feeling now.
“Joseph, I don’t know how much more time we have. We’ve already tried five inn’s what’s going to make this one any different?”
“We have got to try, Mary, I’m not having my son be born on the side of the road.”
With a sigh Mary clambered up. No use trying to persuade her husband against his will. What strength she had left she had to give to her baby. “Lord, please help us” she cried in desperation just as they arrived at the last inn.
Joseph cleared his voice, “Excuse me?”
“Just a second!” someone shouted from within the building.
“Um…Joseph, I don’t think we have any more time!”
“What? NOW!” Without another thought, panic took over his face. She knew he was trying his best. Neither of them knew what to do. There was no housing left in the entire town. After a day of looking they were about to give up. They were tired, dirty, and hungry, and now…. “Joseph, Help!”
At that moment a young woman, carrying a child, ran from the building looking distressed.
“Can I help you?” The girl looked confused to see them.
“Do you know the owner of this inn?” Joseph asked, letting out a deep breath.
“That would be my father; I’m only helping out at this time. So many travellers suddenly, we’ve been quite busy.”
“You wouldn’t happen to have any rooms would you, my wife—“
“I’m sorry,” The girl interrupted, “As I said, we’ve had so many travellers come in the last few days. Families are doubling up as it is. I wish I could offer you something, I really do.”
“It’s just that, I don’t think we have much more time. You see—“
“Joseph, Help!” Mary gasped, trying to stifle the pain.
“Is she…”
“Yes! Please, if you can help us any way you can!”
“Papa, come quick!”
“Ruthie, what’s wrong? What’s going on out there?” It was the same male voice they had heard a few moments earlier.
The woman named Ruthie ran back in the house only to rush back out with an arm load of fresh blankets. “Come, you two, quickly!”
“But, Ruthie, where are you going? We have no more room for them.”
“Papa, these people need help, fast. She’s pregnant and she’s going to have a baby. I just hope we’ll make it in time.”
“Make it where?”
“The barn!” then directing her attention at Joseph, “It isn’t much but it’s warm and dry, and you’ll have plenty of fresh hay to sleep on, I’ll get you whatever you need, Does that sound fine?”
“I guess it will have to,” he skeptically agreed.
“Good, then let’s go, we don’t have much time.”
Without questioning the woman further, Joseph picked up his wife and followed the girl. Entering the barn, the girl immediately ordered fresh hay be brought in and a horse stall cleaned out. Laying a blanket over top the hay bed she motioned for Joseph to put Mary down there and quickly ushering him away. Mary tried breathing through her nose so as to stifle the smell but that didn’t help much. She put her hand down beside her only to realize why. “Ewww…she moaned though in her present state she was helpless to care much that she had just put her hand in animal dung. Only a few inches to her right lay an ewe feeding her lamb. “If only my mama could be here to see this,” she thought to herself. “What would she say.”
Both strangers helped her as much as they could. Holding her hand and gently speaking encouraging words to her as the day went on. She wished desperately for the soothing touch of her mother. Her friend Lydia had already given birth to two babies. She would’ve of been able to offer so much support now. Any familiar face would have been of some comfort. She could hear Joseph’s nervous pacing only a few feet away, but that was all. The rest of her attention was focused on her baby. Just when she thought she couldn’t do this much longer, her new born son let out his first cry. Mary breathed a sigh of relief. Now, she could rest. She lay back as the women removed the soiled blankets and replaced them with clean ones. They cleaned her baby well enough and wrapped him in a fresh swaddling blanket before bringing him out to Joseph.
“Is there anything we can get for you? What a day you have had.”
“Is there anywhere I could wash up, we’ve been travelling for days and—“
“You mustn’t move much, we’ll bring you some fresh water and a little soap. Do you have a change of clothes?”
“Thank you, that’s very kind of you. I do have another dress, but on our travels I didn’t have much time to do laundry so I’m afraid that dress is just as filthy as this one.”
“No problem, I’ll see what I can do about that as well. Joseph has the baby now. You wash up, and rest and I’ll see to your laundry.”
“If it’s okay, I’d like to see my son now. I don’t think I could sleep until I’ve held him in my arms.”
“Okay, I’ll go get your husband.”
Joseph entered the barn immediately. Together, they shared the unified feelings of family for the first time. Their son was beautiful. His tiny hands and his tiny toes, everything was so perfect. It was a moment she would cherish for forever and a day.
