Tattered clothes

The young girl stared down at her muddy shoes and her tattered jeans that barely reached her ankles. She couldn't be picky about clothes anymore though; what money Joe was able to make went to more important things. She though about the last year, and the constant rumble of the bus eased her away from reality.

Grade 11 had started normally; friends were plentiful and life was busy. Between chores, homework, church and jobs around the community, Meredith had her hands full. September and Octorber passed by in a blur, nothing noteworthy grabbing her attention. In November though, some strange things began happening...

4 months later, life really started to change. Mid-March Meredith could no longer hide her secret; she was pregnant. Her parents were outraged and felt betrayed, her friends were suddenly distant. They all questions whether they really knew who their friend and daughter was. Meredith found herself to be the topic of conversation amongst the neighbors. She tried to tell people that she hadn't slept with her boyfriend Joe; she was saving herself for marriage. When she told her family about the man who had appeared to her... well, that made them doubt her explanations even more.

After 4 months of ridicule, Meredith couldn't stand it anymore. She was the outcast at school and the freak show in public. People started and pointed at her wherever she went. Joe was the only person who seemed to understand, although even her seemed to question the situation at times.

In June, one month before the baby was due, Joe and Meredith left town. Joe was born in Seattle and they were hoping to find sanctuary at his fathers' house. Unfortunately, they had no steady income and no transportation. About the only thing going for them was that Meredith was quite pregnant by this time, and many people helped them out because of her situation. Day-by-day the young couple got closer and closer  to their final destination. Countless time over the journey they had lost their patience with each other, complained about sore backs, begged for change... Their lives had changed drastically over 8 months.

Finally they arrived in Seattle, and the city was more alive than they ever could have imagine. It was July 3rd, and it seemed as though the entire world had flocked to the city for celebration. Joe and Meredith had saved up a little money, but it was still no use; every available bed in the city was taken. Meredith was exhausted, and Joe's heart was aching at the sight of his girlfriend struggling. Finally, at a shelter on the edge of downtown, Joe was able to convince the manager to let them sleep in a hallway in their sleeping bags.

Halfway through the night, Meredith found herself in unbearable pain.She cried for her mom, for someone to help her through the ordeal. Scared, she prayed for God to keep her, and her son, safe for the night...

Suddenly the bus jolted to  stop and Meredith was back in the present. She looked down at the sleeping boy in her arms, overcome with love for her small son. She knew that He was the Hope for her world.

It's not original, I know, writing a modern story of Jesus' birth. But, I often forget that Mary was a young girl, like me. And she went through struggles as she carried the Lord in her womb. I often forget that, although teens/unmarried women getting pregnant in today's society are not uncommon, it would have been a disgrace to Mary and her family for her to be pregnant outside of wedlock. What Mary and Joseph did was remarkable, and they were regular ol' mistake-making humans. Again, like me. Wow.

Each day this advent season, I stumble across another part of the advent story that totally floors me... Sometimes we have to take another look at the stories we think we know so well.