The first Christmas night was frosty and cold. The fire in the stable was almost out. Mary asked the animals to help keep baby Jesus warm. “Could you blow on the embers?” she asked the donkey.” But the donkey was fast asleep and didn’t hear. “Could you blow on the embers,” Mary asked the ox, the horse and sheep. But they too were snoring and didn’t reply.

Then Mary heard the flutter of wings, not an angel but a little brown bird, a robin, flew into the stable. The little brown robin heard her call for help. He flapped his wings over the dying fire, puffing air into the embers until they glowed red. As he fanned the fire a flame burned his brown breast turning it red. The little robin kept fanning the fire until the stable was cosy and warm.

Mary looked at the little bird’s brown breast, now burned red by the flames, and said “From now on your red breast will remind everyone of your kind brave deed.”

It’s only a story but it reminds us we can shut our eyes to the needs around us, like the donkey, ox and sheep.

OR be like the robin and do something to help...

a present for children in the Women’s refuge, food for the Food bank families, support for charities...

just making time for people at home/school/in our community to listen and respond in whatever way we can.

with love and prayers

Jenny