Here is the story:

THE CHRISTMAS PAGEANT

A lady who has been married for five years prayed that she would have a child. She promised that if she’s given a baby she would be a perfect mother to him, love him with  all her heart and raise him with God’s  word as her guide.

God answered her prayers
and blessed her with a son.

The next year God blessed her and her husband
with another son.

The following year,
He blessed them with
yet another son.

The year after that they
were blessed with a daughter.

Her husband thought they had
been blessed right into poverty.
They now had four children,
and the oldest was only
four years old.

She learned never to ask God
for anything unless she really meant it
As a minister once told her,
“If you pray for rain,
make sure you carry an umbrella.”

She began reading a few verses
of the Bible to the children
each day as they lay in their cribs..

She was off to a good start.
God had entrusted her
with four children and
she didn’t want to disappoint Him.

She tried to be patient the day
the children smashed
two dozen eggs on
the kitchen floor searching
for baby chicks.

She tried to be understanding… when they started a hotel for homeless frogs in the spare bedroom, although it took her nearly two hours to catch all twenty-three frogs.
When her daughter poured
ketchup all over herself and
rolled up in a blanket to see
how it felt to be a hot dog,
she tried to see the humor
rather than the mess..

In spite of changing over
twenty-five thousand diapers,
never eating a hot meal
and never sleeping for more
than thirty minutes at a time,
She still thanks God daily for my children.

While she couldn’t keep her promise
to be a perfect mother –
She didn’t even come close…
She did keep her promise
to raise them in the Word of God.

She knew she was missing the mark
just a little when she  told
her daughter they were going
to church to worship God,
and she wanted to bring
a bar of soap along to
“wash up” Jesus, too.

Something was lost
in the translation when
She explained that
God gave them everlasting life,
and her son thought it was
generous of God to give
them his “last wife.”

Her proudest moment came
during the children’s
Christmas pageant.

Her daughter was playing Mary,
two of my sons were shepherds
and her youngest son was a wise man.
This was their moment to shine.

Her five-year-old shepherd
had practiced his line,
“We found the babe wrapped
in swaddling clothes.”

But he was nervous and said,
“The baby was wrapped
in wrinkled clothes.”

Her four-year-old “Mary” said,
“That’s not ‘wrinkled clothes,’ silly. That’s dirty, rotten clothes.”

A wrestling match broke out
between Mary and the shepherd
and was stopped by an angel,
who bent her halo and lost
her left wing

She slouched a little lower
in my seat when Mary
dropped the doll representing
Baby Jesus, and it bounced
down the aisle crying,
“Mama-mama.”

Mary grabbed the doll,
wrapped it back up
and held it tightly as
the wise men arrived.

Her  other son stepped forward
wearing a bathrobe
and a paper crown,
knelt at the manger
and announced,
“We are the three wise men,
and we are bringing gifts
of gold,
common sense
and fur.”

The congregation
dissolved into laughter,
and the pageant
got a standing ovation.

“I’ve never enjoyed a Christmas
program as much as this one,”
laughed the pastor,
wiping tears from his eyes

For the rest of my life,  she’ll never hear the Christmas story without thinking of
gold, common sense and fur.

“Her children are her pride
and her joy and her greatest
blessing,” She said as she dug
through her purse for an aspirin.

Jesus had no servants,
yet they called Him Master.

Had no degree,
yet they called Him Teacher .

Had no medicines,
yet they called Him Healer.

Had no army,
yet kings feared Him.

He won no military battles,
yet He conquered the world.
He committed no crime,
yet they crucified Him.

He was buried in a tomb,
yet He lives today.

Feel honored
to serve such a Leader
who loves us.