An Unusual Christmas Eve
They were having a very happy Christmas Eve. The whole family was together and they were enjoying all the company. When all of a sudden a lightning bolt came in through the front window and out the back window without causing any damage. Then there was a clap of thunder. That startled everyone into silence. Then another lightning bolt came in the front window and out the back. Then another clap of thunder. Everyone started to get scared and ran outside to see what was happening.
When they got outside it was a beautiful warm winter night. The sky was clear and there were many stars in the sky. All of a sudden there were a host of angels singing “Glory to God in the Highest and Peace of Earth.” When the angels finished and disappeared it was very quiet. They decided to go back inside because the figured all the excitement was over.
When they walked back in the house there was a big box sitting. on the floor in the living room. No one had any idea where it came from. Everybody was yelling at once to open it. Finally the parents opened it. Inside was a beautiful manger scene made out of crystal. The took the pieces out and set up the manger in there front yard. No one had any idea where the manger scene came from but they all loved it.
The next December the first thing that was set out was the crystal manger scene. Then they set up the rest of their decorations. Within a few days the Baby Jesus was taken from the manger scene. Everyone was heartbroken. On the third day the Baby Jesus was returned with a note that said “We are returning the Baby Jesus. We are sorry we took him. We have had nothing but bad luck since we took the Baby Jesus. We are returning the Baby, Please forgive us. It happened 2 more times that year and on the third day the baby was always returned with notes asking for forgiveness.
For 40 years the manger scene was set out every Christmas. Every year the baby was taken 3 times and returned on the third day with a note asking for forgiveness and sometimes a box of cookies or a little present.
A few months after the 40th anniversary of the manger scene the the old man fell ill and died. A few months later his wife decided she could not live with her husband of almost 60 years so she died too.
The next Christmas when the kids went to get the manger scene it was gone. The was nothing but a hole where the manger scene was kept. No one had any idea what happened to it. They were all pretty upset to lose such a valuable heirloom. All that was left was a box with all the notes from the people that had taken Jesus and returned him on the third day.
It was a mystery where it came from . It was a mystery where it went For 40 years it had been bringing people to Jesus in it's own way. The family decided the best thing to do was to burn all the notes and let the whole thing continue to be one big mystery.
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