T'is A NightTo Remember

7/27/2019 T'is A NightTo Remember

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TIS A NIGHT TO REMEMBER

Theodore E. Wilson


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Tis A Night To Remember

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or

transmitted in any form or any means, electronic or mechanical,

including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage

and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author.

Text and illustrations copyright 2013 by Theodore E. Wilson, M.D.

Inspired by the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Luke This production is dedicated to the memory of my parents

Harry Andrew Wilson

(7-11-1919 to 1-24-1988)

&

Olivia Coates Wilson (Levee)

(3-24-1918 to 8-25-1985)

Printed in a United States


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To Michelle,

I will always love you

and

to my son and girls,

Chris, Joy, Olivia, Alicia, and Angela


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CHAPTER ONE

Christmas Eve

Manyyearsago,onanearlyfrostymorningandIawokesuddenly

rememberingitwasChristmasEve.IgotdressedforSundaymorningservicesandrandownthestairs.Grandmalookedup,

smiledandsaid"Goodmorning.Shewassittingatthetable

lookingoverheringredientsfordoughbread."Flour,milk,salt,and

alittlewaterandyeast"shesaid.Sherolledthebatter,placed

thedoughbreadthinintoathinsheettorise.

Iheardthedistantsoundofahorn,lookedouttheandsawthe

trainpassingby.

"Getyoursisterandbrotherup!",exclaimedGrandma.Ishouted

loudly,"Mattie!JC!Timetogetup."Grandmastoodupandcrossed

herarmsandreplied,"Goupstairsandwakethemupnow."

Iquicklyranupthestairs.

Train goes by


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Itwasanexcitingdayatchurch.GrandpaandIsattogether,andMattieandJCsatwithafriend.Grandmawasstanding

inthechoirstand.Thepreacher,Rev.Washington,roseto

speaktheword.Heclearedhisthroatandbegan,

It was a long dusty road as Joseph and Mary made their

way to the little town of Bethlehem. It was danger all around,

thieves and wild animals. A DANGER that moved in the

stillness of the night, that could steal, that could kill.but

I want you to know the saints in the midst of it all, God

is in control...

ItwasaverynicesermonbutIdidn'tgettothemeaningofit.

The church on a hill


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Thedrivehomewasdreary.Theskywasgrayandcloudy.ButGrandmaknewhow

tomakeushappy.Hereyeslitupasshesaid,"IsureenjoyedRev.Washington's

Christmassermontoday."Grandpadrivingthecarsaid,"Metoo.There's

nothinglikehearingaboutthebirthofJesus.Itnevergetsold."Theywerelaughing

andtalkingsomuchthatthedrivehomewentbyquickly.

Car driving home

Whenwegothome,GrandmastartedpreparingtheChristmasdinner.Mymouth

wateredjustsmellingthefragrantaromaofheryummysweetpotatoes,peas,

Grandma cooking dinner


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dressing,cranberrysauceandbigjuicyturkey.Grandpawassittinginhisfavorite

chairlisteningtotheradio.Suddenlytheradiosounded.

Grandpa listening to the radio

WeinterruptthisbroadcasttoinformyouthatTheTuskegeeAirmenshotdown

ThreeGermanjets.OnMarch24,1945,43P-51MustangleadbyColonelBenjamin

O.DavistheywillmarchtoBerlin.Staytunedforfurtherdetails."

Tuskegee Airmen pilot fighter


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"Lordhavemercy,"Grandmasaid,asshewashedthecelery."Please

remembermyson."BeforetheTuskegeeAirmen,therewerenoNegro

pilotsintheU.S.military.Daddywasoneofthefirstairmeninnation.

DoyouthinkthatDaddyisgoingtobeallright?.Iwasascared.

Grandmasmiledandlookingatme,"Yes.Hewillbejustfine.Godis

goingtomakeeverythingallright."Ilookedatherandtherewasabig

smileonherface.

It'snine.Timetogotobed",saidGrandmaassheputthedoughbread

intherefrigerator.IwasenteringmybedroomwhileMattieandJC

ranupstairstobrushtheirteethwhileGrandpatoldthemashortstory.

"Nowsayyourprayers",saidGrandpaafterhecompletedthestory.Later

MattieandJCgotinbedandwhispered,Goodnight.

JC saying prays


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Grandpaenteredmybedroom.Didyousayyourprayers?Yessir,

Isaid.Goodnight,hesaidandwalkedoutmyroom."HeyGrandpa,

Daddyisgoingtobeallright,isnthe?"Icalledout.Heturnedand

replied,Yourfatherisgoingtobejustfine."Ismiledandwenttosleep.

By10:50pmIwasstillawide.Itwassoquiet."Onehourandit'sChristmas.

I'llgobacktokeepandwakeupatmidnight."Ifellasleepandimmediately

starttodream.


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CHAPTER TWO

O Little Town of Bethlehem

AshootingstarappearedandtravelleddowntoNazareth.Godsent

anangelGabriel,MarywasengagedtobemarriedtoamannamedJoseph.

A shooting star appear; traveling down to Nazareth

Marywasalonewhensuddenlyabrightlightawakenedher.

"Whoisthat?"aconfusedandbewilderedMarysaid.

Mary is alone


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"MynameisGabrielandI'maservantofGod.Marydon'tbefrightened.

Soonyou'llbepregnantandhaveason.Heshallbeverygreatandcalled

theSonofGod.Puzzled,Marysaid,"I'mavirgin.HowcanIhaveababy?"

Gabrielsaid,TheHolyGhostwillcomeuptoyouandovershadowyou.

Youwillconceiveofachild.""Lord,praisesbetoGod.Letitbeasyou

havesaid.,saidMary."YourAuntieElizabethgotpregnantbythepower

ofGodinheroldage.SuddenlyGabrielhaddisappeared.

Maryknockedatthedoorandthedoorswungopened.ItwasZacharias.

"HiUncleZach.Hiyadoin'?Theyhuggedeachother.

AuntieElizabethhome

"Whodat?",saidAuntieElizabethcomingoutthebedroom."Glorydonefilledmy

soul.Mary!Hallelujah,praisebetoGod.Youarehonoredintheplaceandespecially

themotheroftheLord.GlorybetoGod.AsIheardyourvoicetheHolyGhost,


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causedmybabytoleap."Marysaid,"MysoulisglorifiedintheLord.

Uncle Zach and Mary greeting

NowcomeinstayawhileElizabethindicatedwithagesture.Sittingdown

onthecouch,MarylaughedasAuntieElizabethrememberedthe'oldtimes'.

MarybecameseriouswhenthinkingaboutJoseph.Marysfaceclouded

overasshesaid,AuntieElizabethIamworried.ItoldJosephaboutthe

angel.Hegotupsetandangry.Hemaynotwanttomarryme.Josephhedoesn't

understand",Marywasvisiblyupset.Well,theLordknows.Itgonnataketime.Be

prayerful'andlistentohiscalling",saidAuntieElizabeth.

Troubled Mary and Auntie Elizabeth listened.


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MarystayedwithAuntieElizabethforaboutthreemonthsthenreturnedhome.Marywenttothegrocerystore.Onherwayout

ofthedoor,shedroppedherbags.Shelookedaroundforhelp

buttherewasnoonetoassisther."OLord,cananyonehelp

me?"shesaiddeflated.SuddenlyJosephappearedandhelpedher

pickuptheitem.Hestoleglancesatherwhileplacingtheminthe

bottomofthebag.UnhappilyMarysaid,"Thankyou."Shetried

totakethembackfromhimbuthepulledthemfromherreach.

"I'llhelpyougetthegrocerieshome"saidJosephashetookthe

remainingbagsfromherarms.Henoticedhertiredcountenance,

andledhertoabench."Comeandsitdown.Please.Ijustwantto

saysomething.MaryI'msorryforthewayItreatedyouandnot

believingyou.Itjustsoso,wellain'tnovirgineverhadnobaby;

conceivedbytheHolyGhost!".Maryeyedhimdispassionately,

"WhatmakesyoubelievemenowJoseph?Threemonthshasgone

bysinceIhaveseenyou."


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Mary arguing with Joseph

Josephhunghisheadinshameandreplied,"Mary,asIwasresting,anAngeloftheLordstoodbeforemelikeadream.SinceI'dneverseenone

Ifelltomyknees.HetouchedmyarmasIiescaredonthefloor.Theangel

toldmenottobescared.Hewentontotellmethatyouweretouchedthe

HolyGhostandIshouldnotleaveyou.Butthatweshouldbemarried.

PleaseMary,finditinyourhearttoforgivemebecauseIloveyou."Marywas

touchedbyhiswords."IloveyouandIwillalwaysloveyou,"shegushed

withtearsinhereyes.

Joseph and Mary happy


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JosephandMarygotmarriedatthejusticeofpeace.Theysoon

settledinacomfortableroutinebuildingtheirlivestogether.One

daywhileJosephwasworkingattheCarpenterShop,Shem,one

ofhisoldbuddy,cameby."HeyJoseph,Howyadoing?"smiledShem

greetinghimwithahandshake."Good.Howarethingsgoingwith

youfamily?",saidJoseph."Everyoneisdoingfine.AndIseeyouand

Maryaredoingquitefinetoo!",Shemfollowedwithaheartylaugh.AbruptlyShemturnedtoJosephandsaidseriously,"Didyouhear

whattookplaceatchurchlastnight?""No,Ididn't.Whathappened?"

respondedJosephinquisitively.

Shem and Joseph talking about the Romans

"SomeoftheRomansoldiersgotdrunkandthebrokedownthechurchdoor!.

Theychargedinsideanddamagedalotoftheplace."saidShem."Idobelievethe


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timeisfastlycomingwhentheLordwilldeliverusfromthesewickedRomans.Our

childrenarelearningbadhabitsfromthem.Weputupdaytodaywithgangs

andviolence.Idon'tknowwhythingsarehappeningbutIknowGodisincontrol.Whenitstimetocome,Godwillmakeaway",saidJoseph.

Thedayspassedbyquickly.EveryweekMarywasgrowinglarger.During

herlastweeksofpregnancy,Judithcamebyeverydaytohelpher.She

knockedonthedoorandenteredwithherusualgreeting,"HelloMary.Igot

yourmail.""Thanks."Asshesortedthroughhermailaparticularlettercaught

hereye.

Judith and Mary

Itread"CAESARAUGUSTUS,URGENT!"Marytoreopentheletterandreaditout

loudlysaying


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I Caesar Augustus, emperor of the Roman Empire,

beginning next week, a census will be taken throughout

the nation. This will required everyone to return to his

ancestral home. Also a tax will imposed to pay for the

census and the improvement of our great nation.

Thisisunfair.Someofusfolksmusttraveltwoorthreehundredmilestogetback

toourfamiliesbirthplace",saidJudith.Marycalmlysaid,"ThenGodwillprovide."

JosephandMarydrovetothetrainstation,gotoutofthecar,andquicklyrandown

lobby."Jerusalem,Zion,Bethlehem",themanontheloudspeakers.Manypeople

weretheretryingtopurchasetickets.

Train leaving to Bethlehem

"Allaboard,"theconductorcriedout.JosephandMaryenterinthepassenger

carinthetrainheadedforBethlehem.JosephandMaryweretalkinguntil

Maryfellasleep.


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Joseph and Mary traveling to Bethlehem

ItwasdarkbythetimetheygottoBethlehem.IthadbeenyearssinceJosephhad

beentoBethlehem.AllMarysawwasasmallvillage.Walkingalongdistance,Joseph

finallyarrivedtoahotel.Theclerksaid,"I'msorry,werefull."Theywalkedfrom

hoteltohotel,buttherewerenovacancy.Imsosorry,saidJosephsaddened.Mary

smiledsweetlyathimwhichenergizedhimtocontinuesearchingforaplacetorest.

JosephandMaryenteredthelobbyofasmallinn,thelastonthestreet.Heassisted

Marytoacouchnearthedoorwayandrangforthedeskclerk."Ok,ok,I'macomin".


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Joseph and the Innkeeper

AelderlymanstoodatthecounterinfrontofJoseph.Doyouhaveanymorerooms?,

saidJoseph.Sorrywearealloccupiedbecauseofthecensus.Theelderlyman

glancedatMary,tiredandpregant.Helookedthoughtfully."Itmaynotbetoyour

liken'butyou'remorethanwelcometostayoutback.Notmuchofaplace,butit

wouldgiveyousomewheretorest,andshelterfromthecoldnightair."Josephdecided,Illtakeit.Hereachesintohispockettopaytheman,"No

charge.IwishIhadabetterplacetooffer.Keepthemoneytobuyagiftforthebaby.

I'llgetmywifetobringsomethingsforya'lltoatleastwrapupin."

Josephsaid,"Muchobliged.ComeonMary,let'sgetsomerest.It'sbeenalongday."


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ThatnightMarygavebirthtoherfirstchild,ason."Josephisn'thebeautiful?!,said

Marysmiling.Josephsaid,"He'smorethanbeautiful.He'stheWonderofGod."

The Wonder of God


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Thatnightshepherdsinthefieldweretalkingwhenabrightlightappearsinthe

heavens..Anangelappeared."Don'tbeafraidforIbringtoyougoodnews"saidan

A bright light appears in the heaven

angel.

Today, in Bethlehem, a Savior has been born;

he is the expected King. You will find the baby

wrapped in clothes and lying in a manger.

Thenmanyangelsappearedsaying ,

"Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth,

peace, and goodwill to those on whom his favor rests".

Theangelsdisappeared.

"InallthedaysofmylifeIain'tneverseennorheardnothingthat

beautiful",saidtheshepherd."Lookthere!Iseeastar.It'ssobright

itcomin'rightdownoverBethlehem"'.Comeon,letsgotoseethe

baby",saidtheanothershepherd.


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CHAPTER THREE

A City of Darkness - Jerusalem

DarknessfelloverJerusalem.Herodwasbusyonthephone.

A city of darkness Jerusalem

Theaidesteppedin,"Ihavefoundthemenyouhavebeenlookingfor."Herodhangs

up,respondswithasmile,"Wonderful,pleaseletthemin."Threemenenter

theroom.

Herod was busy on the phone


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TheirnamewereCaspar,Balthazar,andMelchior.Melchiorworewereglasseswith

ablacksuit.Casparwasbaldandhadonanexquiziterobe.Balthazarwore

ahatandrobe."GreetingfriendsofIsrael",saidHerod.Idohopeyourstayhasbeenpleasantandcomfortable"asheextendedhishand.

Herod meets the Wise men; Melchior, Caspar, and Balthazar

"NowpleaseifImayask,whatbringyousofarfromhome"?,saidHerod.

Balthazarsaid"Wehavetraveledalongdistance,followingthegreatstar.

Ithasbeen2months,wetraveledtoseethebirthofyourMessiah."

Herodtryingtostaycalm,"WhatdoyoumeanOURMessiah?Balthazar

lookedpuzzled.BeforeHerodcancontinuetheAideinterruptedandsaid,"

Ahyes,theMessiah.HewillbeborninBethlehemasmallcountry

townnotveryfarfromhere.Herodtryingtocoverhisembarrassment

said,Ohyes.PleaseforgivemebutforamomentIforgot.BeinganAdministrator


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therearemanymattersandfacts".TheAiderespond,"Tellme,areyoubringing

himthesegifts?"Melchiorsaid"Yestopraisehim.

TheAidewentovertoHerodandbegantowhisperinhisear.Herodsaid

"Myaidesuggestthatshouldhonorhim.Onceyouhavefoundthebaby,

alertusasquicklyaspossiblesoIcanbringagift.AsyoutravelIwill

giveyoualetterwiththeroyalseal."Thankyouverymuch".saidMelchior.

Astheyturntoleave,Herodspokeindeceitfultone,"Gentlemen,

Herod you sly fox!

outsidethedoor,"Whenthosefoolreturnwiththelocation,takethem

outandkillthem!"Astheroomemptied,Herodbeginstospeaktohimself.

"Herodyouslyfox!Imustcomplimentmyselfforsuchabrilliantplan.

Withalltheboybabiesbeingkilledandthosefoolshelpingme,Iwillfind

thatchild.He'llneverescape.


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CHAPTER FOUR

A Night To Remember

ThugsandMuggsy,twogangsters,arewalkeddownthestreetatSlumAlley.It's

dangerousstreetfrequentedbymanycriminals."Wegonnameet'TheBoss'.Tell

himwhatwe'veseen",saidMuggsy.

Two gangsters, are walk the street at Slum Alley.

NowtwomonthshavegonebysinceJesusbirth.Herodandaladyfriendwerein

theJazzClub.Theywerelistenedtoblues,jazzwithabigbandsound.Whereare

thosemiserablelittlewimpsofmine!"shoutedHerod."Getthemhereright

away",yelledagreatlyangeredHerod.ThugsandMuggsysaunteredin.Onesat

down,theotherstood


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"Yeaboss"saidMuggsy."WherearethoserichfoolsItoldyoutofollow?"

saidHerodpointingintheirfaces."Ilostthem"saidMuggsy.Thuglooking

frightenedsaid,"Wehearthatanangelappearedandtoldthemyouwerea

'Thugs and Muggsy meeting Herod

lowdownsnakeinthegrass'andtoforgetgoingbacktoJerusalem.Lastthings

weknewtheywereheadedhomeadifferentroute.Herodrepliedinadeadly

manner,"Ihaveonelittlequestionleftforyoutwo.Doyouknowthewhere

aboutofthischildcalledMessiah?"Bothgangsterswerelookedalarmedand

neitherwantedtospeak."Well?"heboomed."No",saidthegangsters.Herod

shouted,"Exterminatethesebugsrightnow!I'msickofthis.Sick,sick!


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CHAPTER FIVE

A Night To Remember

EarlymorningIawakenedoutadeepsleep.Whatadream!Rubbingmy

eyes,"IscreamedIt'sChristmas!"Mattie,JC!It'sChristmas!".Ihurried

downthestairsandheardGrandmaandGrandpagettingouttheirbed

tocomeintothelivingroom.Excitedweopenedourpresents.There

JC and Mattie hurry down the stairs for Christmas

wasabigcowboyhatandsoldiersforJC,andadollformysister.

Wewereallexcitedasweunwrappedourgifts.

Laterthatevening,Grandmatookthesweetpotatopiesouttherefrigerator.

Grandma,IdreamtaboutJesusbeingborn.Itwassoreal,saidIplaced


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thespoon,fork,andknivesonthetable."Mmmm"whileGrandma

placesthetwoapplepiesintheoven.Wesatatthetable.Grandpaprayed,

Lord Jesus, we thank you for all this Christmas Day.

Thank you for having had a child born in a manager.

And now Lord Jesus we give thanks to you O' Lord

this blessed day in Jesus name we pray

Amen.

Mattie and I thankful for a Christmas dinner

Settingdownwepassedthefood."Ummdelicious."IsaidtoGrandma.

Suddenlytherewasaknockatthedoor."I'llgetit".Iopenedthedoorand

tomyamazementtherestoodmydaddy.

,


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"DADDY!".Icriedtearsofjoy.Hebentdown,wrappedhisarmsaround

meandheldmeclose.

Somanyofyearshavepassed.MattieandJCareadults.Ithinkofmy

Grandparents,turkey,sweetpotatoespie,theyarememories.Istill

Daddy!

remembermydreamaboutthebirthofChirstthatChristmas.Butmy

mostpreciousmemoryisofdaddycominghome.Thatwillbeforever

ANightToRemember.


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T'is A NightTo Remember