I was thinking about the birth of Jesus yesterday. I was thinking about the shepherds. Imagine being one of them. Your in the field w/ the sheep, pretty much minding your business and all of a sudden.....Luke 2:9- An angel of The Lord appeared to them, & the glory of The Lord shone around them, & they were terrified. Oh my goodness I imagine they were. They were kinda the last people that got important information anyway & here, right now, they're the 1st!!! So the angel is saying, "don't be afraid. Here's what I'm here to tell you & it is GREAT news!!!" So they calm down, listen, & then say, "okay-let's go check this out!! Verse 16 says, "so they hurried off..." I bet they did. Starts out a normal, maybe even boring night, & then all this excitement--this great news. So they go to Bethlehem & sure enough, just as they were told, there they all are!!! Wow!!!! Amazing!! Now I will tell you I would be just like them, verse 17-"When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, (18) & all who heard it were amazed. I guess so. I bet some people even thought, "how or why did these shepherds get told before we did?" Then when I read verse 20-"The shepherds returned (I'm sure to the sheep) glorifying & praising God for all the things they had heard & seen, which were just as they were told!!" How exciting. I just picture them back to work, but they are different now. They've seen Jesus!! The Messiah!!! Our Savior!!! They are worshipping, heads back, arms raised, maybe even dancing, tears flowing, hearts touched-changed!!! Oh wow!! That makes me so excited!! I picture myself there w/ them, & the joy in my heart can't help but well up, overflow. I want to be like the shepherds. I want to go & tell people all of what God has done & continues to do. I want to do this not just this time of year, but always!!! God is good. His grace & mercy & love are flowing, ready & available for each of us. Let's be like the shepherds. Let's be reminded & go & tell & then let's worship & praise God for all that we have been told & seen & know. Most importantly, let's take that right w/ us waaay into the new year. I know we'll all be so glad we did. We'll be changed-a new & good different, b/c our hearts will have been touched by the hand of God. Oh man!! No better way to be!!!