Oxen, Sheep, and Donkeys

Sure, they all had season tickets to the Bethelem 1-2 B.C. Christmas season, but I don't remember God giving any front row seating to dogs...

Enter Mackenzie.

I work with a guy name John who has two large, beautiful dogs. Now I've never been good with dog breeds, so I really shouldn't try and relay what type of dogs they are. There not pugs or bulldogs, I know that much. Probably not poodles or ice dogs, either. They're those big, All-American, bark at the French dogs and make them cry, perfect family photo dogs. I'm going to guess that they are labs, but if I'm wrong (and also assuming his dogs read the blog), I'm going to get attacked next time I visit his townhouse out in Sterling. This much I know - their names are Dakota and Mackenzie. Dakota is older, and Mackenzie is trying to find her faith.

Huh?

John told us over lunch the following story. It's a story of hope and of tenderness. And it reminds all of us in the hustle and bustle of last minute mall shopping and cookie baking the real meaning of the Christmas season. You see, in this glorious season, in preparation for the Lord's birth, Mackenzie the Dog has found Jesus.

You see, John is way ahead of Condon in terms of decorating for the Christmas season. He's got the tree, the wreathes, the stockings (yes, dogs get stockings, too) and the Nativity scene. Speaking on the last, John has placed his Nativity on the coffee table in his living room area. Bigger than most scenes of its type, the tallest person (I'm guessing one of the kings, you know, with the massive crowns) stands about 10 inches tall. And everyone has made it to the manger on time. Kings, Mary and Joseph, some shepherds, the aforementioned barnyard animals, and the newborn baby Jesus. I haven't seen John's setup, but it sounds very nice.

Now, on the night that Christ was born, it was probably pretty cold out, even for Bethlehem. That's why everyone is huddled in close to the manger. John has accurately depicted this, as all the figures stand pretty close to one another. And yet, this configuration has proven no match for a wayward nomadic traveler: Mackenzie.

Over the weekend, when John was not home, Mackenzie went to the Nativity, and oh so deftly removed Jesus from the scene. Two reasons this is impressive. 1) The dog, using only her mouth, did not knock over any of the other figures during the heist. 2) The dog only took Jesus, not the manger that He was laid in. Just the baby, swaddling clothes and all. Mackenzie went on a crusade with Jesus leading the way to elsewhere in the house, while John got home hours later to find an empty manger. As to explain for this disappearance...

Resurrection?!?!?

Nah, wrong holiday.

As God looks out for His Son, He must have given John the insight to track down the cradle robber, and he found Mackenzie in the upstairs office with Jesus. At this point, this story has both good news and bad news. The good, clearly, is that Jesus has been safely returned to his crib, and John has reprimanded the shepherds for watching over the flock better than they watched over their Lord. The bad -

Mackenzie swallowed Jesus' right arm.

From an artistic standpoint, John has now re-set Jesus in the manger in such a way that any guests he has over will not notice the missing appendage. From a religious standpoint, this has a much larger meaning. The right hand of God is now with Mackenzie. It's a part of her now. She will now go forth in the Advent season to proclaim the coming of the Lord.

Now's that's a holy dog.