Article #168: December 2005

Greetings, Dear Ones!

I love the Christmas story with all of its metaphors and magic. There are songs that celebrate the star, the donkey, the drummer boy...I even know a Christmas song about the sheep!

But today I'm going to honor another player in that remarkable drama - the Innkeeper.

The line in the story is brief and to the point, "but there was no room in the inn." You gotta wonder what was behind the greatest hotel "faux pas" in the history of the world...

As for the innkeeper - he's always portrayed in movies as mean and gruff, but wasn't the guy just telling the truth? A noisy, crowded and dirty inn truly would be "no place" for a mother in the early stages of labor!

I figure we're so hard on him 'cuz he reminds us of the times in our lives when we've had to say "No." He sort of pushes our guilt button, as though saying "No" and having boundaries is a bad thing.

On the contrary, I'll take a good clear "No" over somebody back peddling and saying "Yes" 'cuz they don't want to hurt my feelings anyday.

I read a magazine article recently (I don't remember the periodical) that theorized that all colds and flu come from an inability to say "No" when we want to. "Wow," I thought – "could that be the result of a plugged up No's?" (sorry - couldn't help myself...)

That little baby was born just where he needed to be, and he grew up to say "NO" quite often if I recall. (Like to his best friend who suggested that maybe skipping the Jerusalem visit would make life easier.)

Without "No" our "Yes" means nothing, so I’ve decided that that old innkeeper deserves his own chart-topping tune. May I present to you my little “No-el” tribute:

"No," said the innkeeper who bore the bad news.
"I'm sorry, but we're full, there's nothing I can do."
It seemed a cruel blow to a couple struggling so
But No was the door to Yes.

No is a word I hate to hear when I'm sad
When my heart is fixed on getting something I have never had
But no one ever knows heaven's plan from here below
for No is the door to Yes.

(Bridge) When things don't seem to go right, I like to point a finger
at my latest innkeeper who seems to stand in my way.

But lately I can see that the problem's really me
And until I trust I cannot be free...

“No” said the carpenter to many good things
Like an offer in the dessert to rule the world as king

I know that a No can just be my latest test
and I know that if I surrender I'll be greatly blest
Yes I know now that the innkeeper was doing his best

when he said No (so long ago)
and the world received (do you believe?) Yes....

Happy Holidays,

and may your hopes and dreams be the biggest and best ever!

- Mary Kay