%PDF-1.7 1 0 obj << /Type /Catalog /Outlines 2 0 R /Pages 3 0 R >> endobj 2 0 obj << /Type /Outlines /Count 0 >> endobj 3 0 obj << /Type /Pages /Kids [6 0 R 20 0 R ] /Count 2 /Resources << /ProcSet 4 0 R /Font << /F1 8 0 R /F2 9 0 R /F3 10 0 R /F4 11 0 R /F5 12 0 R /F6 14 0 R >> /ExtGState << /GS1 15 0 R /GS2 16 0 R /GS3 17 0 R /GS4 18 0 R >> >> /MediaBox [0.000 0.000 612.000 792.000] >> endobj 4 0 obj [/PDF /Text ] endobj 5 0 obj << /Producer (dompdf 3.1.0 + CPDF) /CreationDate (D:20250901052707+00'00') /ModDate (D:20250901052707+00'00') >> endobj 6 0 obj << /Type /Page /MediaBox [0.000 0.000 612.000 792.000] /Parent 3 0 R /Contents 7 0 R >> endobj 7 0 obj << /Filter /FlateDecode /Length 1559 >> stream xWM84wZaك;qw8qc;+'3W._^Qti'ה(+tu᫣#Jz"_Aׯ(B#YG޲ux%?q~:T_Mh^, ~U'sS$*ˊ8JjjG)QZ^,~Ul xar\-?GԸ8Nq.^\%L (ɋFib),?g2JԧUIYG%靎^ s$14J[yht2Pt uMzh!$ZWe w :vÞa$4!z1쥉Oe4*40_ pmV& gmg\KN4$2m4uT&!vTMD>IsԃL?_gѦ A'@;]4by '!|s9#uWHMװA[)ijVrM(~C{!|Gd&aI^[x֤"hsr1m]yמkо3ꌦv{= $҆£YQ³lh{{RztG? P*y7rS+iG|I4BMo](nRa!/j:-b]!+H ao 3WMsڠ";m.%KDN$цrBɀOUbaFLe'/Q޷ai`3J2 ۄvO_^Q-Wzښκ^@h),$i+?8`[ـy"tVyߍ87XT{F@ ^ۖlh)D ~qmbA3؎[!Ƀa+%dg}F=`|0)LŧRcJ$ Efb%>YkQac>AGl0G1oN赶kf b;?-PG,/ 2uˈKҌQΝT7Y'f붼OԌc->~ pJJ*Bk4?$ y:>.pqFr0nUWc0I1}(!s,m`@qY; n3P݀-LbPgQ;u @ u}CB/PI0pn|4 7.'OO#̚@[M[bnGo\N,lӠA(B=֠et^!Ǜp9~xƭ7!Ns!PBP& ?w/[|щ[_Gvy\j%=Fmv q,8V!qE.}w,I6bԟo~9k_^E2Nֹ}tqQ8&Uz ʒbC~(Ip6AJkQ5#[9?Lq Y(KY']>7lT< endstream endobj 8 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /Name /F1 /BaseFont /Helvetica /Encoding /WinAnsiEncoding >> endobj 9 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /Name /F2 /BaseFont /Times-Bold /Encoding /WinAnsiEncoding >> endobj 10 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /Name /F3 /BaseFont /Times-Roman /Encoding /WinAnsiEncoding >> endobj 11 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /Name /F4 /BaseFont /Helvetica-Bold /Encoding /WinAnsiEncoding >> endobj 12 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /Name /F5 /BaseFont /Helvetica-Oblique /Encoding /WinAnsiEncoding >> endobj 13 0 obj [6 0 R /Fit] endobj 14 0 obj << /Type /Font /Subtype /Type1 /Name /F6 /BaseFont /Times-Roman /Encoding /WinAnsiEncoding >> endobj 15 0 obj << /Type /ExtGState /BM /Normal /CA 1 >> endobj 16 0 obj << /Type /ExtGState /BM /Normal /ca 1 >> endobj 17 0 obj << /Type /ExtGState /BM /Normal /CA 0.3 >> endobj 18 0 obj << /Type /ExtGState /BM /Normal /ca 0.3 >> endobj 19 0 obj [6 0 R /Fit] endobj 20 0 obj << /Type /Page /MediaBox [0.000 0.000 612.000 792.000] /Parent 3 0 R /Contents 21 0 R >> endobj 21 0 obj << /Filter /FlateDecode /Length 894 >> stream xmUM6W1>,%@6IEoM4KJR+?#$;J0%3͛jS [њ(֫{H饈#[WCG?<>Ch5cfpZNBcapp4Fހ't9*G/? |<`0"^i B^qJ9/MZV =Hx4FbWl`Sn읲uF{S-KP\75d,eyFu u瑠}O4Ix(v(G=S*vWr*fNEo(Lo8 uA=Z#ryc'%TM@Q%e՞A“)Ǯ¾{u*fh1X)qם)64!,*iR U79CY6,C GNى4<nV@l" +}Z\}Tx qE5qM۹ T}^NRq|'<1a37aee25234fe1e5cfb7d8358443d65>] >> startxref 4340 %%EOF Don't Forget the Baby! | Caring Magazine
Read Caring Magazine Volume 29

Vol. #29

Hope in Action

Read Issue

Latest Impact StoriesView All

Popular Topics

PopularView All

Don’t Forget the Baby!

January 28, 1997
2 minute read
Total
0
Shares
0
0
0
Listen to this article

Mary and Joseph looked in wonder at the baby lying in the manger. The angels announced this special birth to the shepherds in the field. Everyone’s attention focused on the excitement of it. They didn’t see what happened until it was almost too late…

A beautiful 18-month-old girl, with big brown eyes and red, rosy cheeks (the smallest of the angels) was so taken with the baby Jesus she waddled right up to the manger, grabbed him and ran. She was almost out the chapel door before anyone realized what happened. While the audience laughed, her embarrassed mother retrieved the baby and put him back in his proper place.

The Russia/CIS cadets’ Christmas program went on with only a few more determined attempts at this same theft and the day ended with a fond remembrance of its events.

Christmas is now past. The cadets are back at school, preparing for their commissioning. The new year is well under way.

As I think back over the last five months and our first Christmas in Moscow, a flood of thoughts and emotions fills me. Feelings are often reflected through statements of our frustration (“What ARE we doing here?”) or in waves of laughter as we try to maneuver through public markets or drive through Moscow. We feel joy as we see the cadets grow and mature and peace, knowing we are exactly where God wants us to be.

Often, however, this new life and these mixed feelings become a distraction. As I think about our special angel who stole Jesus, I wonder: am I, like the little angel, taking Jesus with me as I move through this new year? The question begs to be answered, “Where is he? Am I including him in my life?”

So many distractions crowd our busy lives. I wonder how many of us forget to take Jesus with us. Maybe we get too busy in the details of day to day living. Maybe we become satisfied at a Sunday visit only. Many seem content to leave Jesus lying in the manger or to pack him and put him away up at the end of the season with the Christmas decorations.

That little angel brought new perspective to the Christmas story. She wanted the baby so badly, her attempts at “babynapping” continued throughout the whole program. She reminded me of my need to keep Jesus with me each day. Do I desire to have Jesus the way she did?

I think Jesus knew how easy it is to become distracted when he told the disciples, “Remain in me and I will remain in you.” (John 15:4). I must have him. I need him. I can’t do it alone.

Jesus waits for me to take him from the manger. He waits for me to include him in my life. He is waiting even now.

“Little Mother, let the little angel keep the baby. She knows what she’s doing.”

–Captain Jennifer Fagerstrom
Moscow

Download this page as a PDF

You May Also Like