Silent Night, Holy Night

Daisy Lupin
has invited anyone to share a Christmas memory on her site. There are already some wonderful memories posted by others at http://catsinthekitchenflorainthegarden.blogspot.com/.

One of the most wonderful memories at Christmastime happened when we lived on a farm in Maine. We'd never lived on a farm and this one had an 1800's 2 story cape code house with a 30 foot shed attached from to back leading to a huge barn with an open center and hay lofts down either side.

My husband divided the areas under the hay lofts into 3 parts on each side. One for the rabbit cages, one for the cow and calf, one for the pigs on one side and on the other, chickens, pony, and milking goats. Because the temperatures would hover around zero during the coldest months, he had sliding openings from the center of the barns into each section.

Each time I would go into the barn on the day before Christmas there was an odd sense of expectancy. I went out late in the evening and opened the large sliding doors to watch the bright crisp clear moon.. There was such a hush in the barn.. when I looked around all the animals were at their openings quietly looking out toward the sky.

Nothing eventful happened, but I can still feel that overwhelming peace that filled that barn. God's word says that if no one praises Him, even the rocks will cry out. I wonder if in some way animals aren't aware of God as their maker. That was such a special, wonderful night. May that peace touch everyone during this time when we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.