Silent night. Is it ever? It certainly wasn’t on the night Jesus was born. Upstairs in the “inn” there would have been multiple families all crowded together, sweaty, smelly, and loud. The “barn” in the back would have housed all the beasts of burden who carried those families and their travel gear to Bethlehem for this tax season. Outside a multitude of armies of angels are shouting out praises to a group of sheep ranchers scared out of their minds. Just up the hill in Bethlehem King Herod is sharpening his swords while waiting eagerly for the “wise guys” to bring back word of this newborn king. Nothing is quiet.

Christmas Eve wasn’t ever quiet in my house growing up either. I was the second of eight kids and if ever we were a rowdy bunch it was on Christmas Eve. We had a Christmas Eve candle light church service…