13 Years Old and Dreaming

Prepare yourself for a long read. This is a story I dug up from a few years ago. I remember loved writing stories like this one.

Jacob the Shepherd

“Eat before you go out, Jacob,” his mother said, setting the bread and cheese on the small, wooden table. As he sat down to eat, Rebekah thought how grown up her youngest son looked! He was just thirteen last week, and now could guard the flock like any of his older brothers. His dark brown hair was swept untidily across his forehead, almost covering his grey-blue eyes. His chin was strong like his fathers, and owned calloused hands that worked creating new things. As a little boy, he had loved inventing new toys out of wood and ways to do things easier. He was extremely creative, which caused the other boys his age to make fun of him. Jacob had been in a fight more than once, but he always came to his mother for comfort. She made him feel like home, and loved long talks with her in the night. Whenever he had a problem, he knew he could always go to her, and no matter how tired she had been, she always found time for him.
“Don’t forget your sheepskin blanket,” she reminded him, doing her duty as a mother. “You know how cold it gets,”
“Yes, Mother,” he said smiling. She had made him a large wool blanket from the first time he skinned his sheep, Snowtail. Most shepherd boys had a dog for a pet, but not Jacob. Ever since Snowtail was born, he had loved her like any other. Her coat of wool got whiter every time she was sheared, but the whitest part of her was her tail. Jacob always said it was so white, it glowed. Snowtail and he were best friends, romping around in the grass and running together. She knew her own name and went to Jacob whenever she heard him coming to the pasture.
Of course, that separated him from the other boys even more, but he still loved his sheep.
Finished, he stood and went to the lean-to, grabbing the blanket and crook. Then walking to the door he said, “Good bye, mother,” closing the door behind him.
It was a beautiful, sunny day, and a light breeze was blowing through the trees by the pasture. “Snowtail!” he called, running towards his happily bleating sheep. The flock was drinking out of the small, crystal stream running along the field and down the hill, to the city.
“Glad to see you’re up,” called one of the village boys, Andrew by name. Jacob waved and replied “Yes, I wouldn’t want to miss my first day,”
He walked with his crook in hand to a shaded place, and sat down.
“Isn’t the city beautiful in the afternoon?” Andrew said, pointing to the bright little town. The walls surrounding it seem to shimmer with the sun’s rays and he could see little figures moving to get their early shopping done. “Yeah, everyone looks so busy,” then he switched the subject. “Do you like to be a shepherd, Andrew?”
Andrew pondered this for a moment, leaning on his staff. Finally, he answered. “Sometimes yes, and sometimes no; I love that you can relax, and don’t really have to work, but I would like to be out there,” he said, indicating the city. “Where all of the people are. You know, doing things like anyone else,” he sighed. “But I know that I can’t be there, until my father says I can,”
Jacob looked away. “At least you have a father,” he whispered. Andrew caught what he said and tried to comfort him. “Let’s go throw stones across the stream, and perhaps I can beat you,” he suggested. Jacob readily agreed, anything, he thought, to get his mind off of his father.
Throwing stones was one of Jacob’s favorite games, usually because he was very good at it. They walked to the edge of the clearing and found stones about the size of a potato, good for tossing.
“I have a new strategy now, so I think I might win you,” said Andrew backing up to the worn line in the grass and preparing a toss.
“No chance,” Jacob said, watching the rock fly into a tree trunk.
“Okay then,” Andrew retorted “Let’s see you go farther.” Jacob stood at the line, took his stance, and threw the stone carefully. He heard the soft plop of the rock as it landed in the creek.
“Ha!” said Andrew joyously. “I beat you,” he grinned, “Do you want to try again?”
Jacob looked away. “No, I…need to take a break, but you keep on practicing,” he said, walking to his favorite place to rest, under a large, lonely oak. “Come along, Snowtail,”
The sheep reluctantly obeyed, and found a new bit of grass to munch while watching Jacob lay with his hands behind his head.
He loved laying under that tree, where his father and mother had carved their initials into the bark. It was the only tree at the very top of the hill, overlooking the city of Bethlehem. His father had died suddenly of an unknown illness when Jacob turned five, eight years ago. He used to lay with Jacob every night and watch the sun go down until he was required to stay in his bed. He loved those precious minutes shared together with his father and the sight of an old day departing.
Rebekah was extremely sorrowful when her husband died, and with four boys to raise, it was difficult to keep going. She believed that she would see her husband again in the next life, and continued to help her children understand and have faith. She taught them to pray every night, and show gratitude for the blessings given. They had family prayer in the mornings to get them started for the day. When it was little Jacob’s turn to pray, he would ask that all of them might see Jesus when He came to earth. The entire family anticipated that day, watching for signs of His birth.
He was always comforted of the thought that he would see his father again someday, and continually looked for the day Jesus came to Earth. With all of his heart he desired to be there, and kept his childish prayer to Heavenly Father that he would.

Andrew watched his friend sadly. Then he went to join the other boys with the flock, looking back at the lonely figure with his pet sheep.
“What’s wrong with him?” asked Mark, motioning his thumb Jacob’s direction. Andrew reluctantly said “Oh, he’s probably just tired,”
Andrew was the only boy that had found out about Jacob’s father and Jacob made him swear never to tell anyone. So far, Andrew had kept his promise. Mark simply shrugged and pushed it to the back of his mind.

The sunset was the most beautiful one he had ever seen yet. The colors of crimson, pink and purple streaked across the sky, as if some joyful dance. Jacob smiled and pulled the wool blanket tighter around his shoulders. He felt like his father was sitting next to him again, watching this miracle of radiant beauty. As the last minutes of twilight faded away, he thought he could spy the first star in the sky. It was brighter than the others and seemed to hover directly above the town in the distance. Eventually other stars appeared and the sky darkened into a silvery black.
“Did you see that, Snowtail?” he asked smiling, as the sheep grazed steadily. Snowtail glanced at Jacob for a second then continued eating.
As the cloak of darkness completed its descent, the other older shepherds came in to replace the boys, but Jacob was required to stay out all night. He kept his eyes open until Snowtail fell asleep, and then he too began to nod off.

He was standing in an open field. In all directions it was flat. In the distance he could see the city of Bethlehem, bathed in moonlight. At the edge of the town was a small stable for horses, but directly above it, was the brightest star he had ever seen. Its radiance seemed to encompass the stable in a glow of white light.
He saw two figures in the light, a man and a woman, standing over a manger of hay. Why they were there, he had no idea, but this seemed like a very important and special night. The woman picked up something that was in the manger and he could see that it was alive. A baby!

Jacob woke with a start; some wet thing had touched his face. He could hear the baby crying! No…wait that was only Snowtail bleating to wake him up. He pushed the lamb away and slowly sat up. The sky, though still dark, looked very different. He couldn’t quite figure out why, but he knew something strange was happening.
Snowtail seemed to know it too, for she kept bleating and scampering away, then running back, nodding her head.
All of the shepherds seemed anxious, although none of them could say why. Jacob was pondering his vision.
Why did I have such a strange dream? It felt like… he searched for words, Like that baby knew me, and I knew him. He shook his head, trying to clear it. No more of the dream came to him, and he sighed.
“Hey, Jacob.” called Andrew, walking up behind him.
He turned around to glance at his friend. “Andrew!” he said in surprise.
“What are you doing here? I thought you had to switch jobs at sundown.” Andrew grinned. “I wanted to be here on your first night, little man.” Jacob smiled back.
Andrew glanced up to the sky. “Have you looked at the stars lately?” when Jacob shook his head, he continued, “I think that there is a new one, or a number of them. I’m not sure exactly. It is especially bright, kind of like a far away candle.” Andrew was known as a star expert among the shepherds. If any of them had a question, he could answer it.
“I think I’ve seen it actually, now that I remember. It was the first one out tonight.” He pointed to it and Andrew nodded. “That’s it,” he said.
Jacob wondered if Andrew’s new star had anything to do with the one in his dream.
“Well, I have to go catch my flock. See you around.” Andrew waved and walked to the other part of the field, across the river.
So many mysteries in one night thought he, as he stroked Snowtail gently.
Suddenly, Jacob felt as though someone was watching them, and slowly turned around. He gasped at what he saw, and his gasp echoed throughout all of the shepherds. A small glow in the sky was growing bigger until it could be seen by all of the shepherds. He covered his eyes, for it was so bright, as did the others. Fear shook his being as a body appeared in the light, a grown man whose robe seemed whiter than the light encompassing him. His hair was like pure snow, yet he did not look very aged.
“Fear not,” he spoke with a voice of authority and gentleness. “For behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, witch shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Savior, which is Christ the Lord,”
Jacob glanced up, startled. “Just like in my dream!” he thought. The messenger continued,
“And this shall be a sign unto you; ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.”
The shepherds looked at one another in amazement. An angel had appeared before them! They spoke in hushed voices until more light came and they ceased speaking. There, on that hill, a great multitude of heavenly beings emerged from the radiance, each crowned with a glory so profound that the shepherds stood in awe.
Jacob could not believe what his eyes were seeing, nor what his ears, hearing. Andrew looked bewildered; it had all happened so suddenly. The angels spoke as one, with a voice so penetrating and strong, it shook the ground.
“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace, good will towards men,”
Then the light faded and the angels departed, leaving behind shepherds in wonder. None of them knew what to say, and everyone wanted to see the babe.
Then Jacob spoke up and shouted, “Let us go to the city, to see this thing which the angels have told us about.”
“What about the sheep?” one of the shepherds asked. “We can’t leave them here.”
Jacob refused let anything prevent them, “We will take them with us. I’m sure they will be fine, and it’s not a very large flock anyway.”
The shepherds nodded and began prodding the sheep down the hill towards the city, Jacob and Snowtail leading.
The stars all were much brighter, as if some sign of a wonderful thing come to pass. The frozen grass crunched beneath their feet as they walked toward the lights of Bethlehem. Jacob pulled the wool blanket tighter around his shoulders and looked back.
Most of the shepherds had cold, blue faces and were rubbing their hands together and blowing on them, but none refused to be left behind. He led them through the city gates and found the stable, and a heavenly sight.
The virgin, Mary, was resting on some piled hay, while Joseph stood over the manger, his eyes filled with tears.
Jacob saw the tiny hands moving about in the cradle as he humbly approached the stable. He realized that tears were streaming down his cheeks as he knelt down by the manger, and looked at the Son of God.
He could see the face of his father in it for just a second, then it disappeared and he saw the babe. The small face was so beautiful, and loving. The cloth surrounding the babe was thin, and he seemed to shiver. Jacob thought, I must give a gift to this great child, but what? Snowtail came in behind him and nudged her nose against the wool blanket. He reached down and stroked the lamb, took up the soft blanket and looked at Mary. She saw what he was doing and nodded slowly, a small smile upon her weary face.
Jacob laid the blanket around the infant and wrapped it warmly. Snowtail seemed to smile too, as he stepped back. Behind him the other shepherds were gathered in a group. Reverently, he motioned them forward and they each in turn looked upon the face of God.
There was not a dry eye in the humble stable that night, as the shepherds reluctantly took their leave. Jacob was the last to go, lingering to take in the picture of the first Christmas; Mary holding the infant in her arms with Joseph standing over her; A donkey standing in the background with some scattered sheep and chickens; Horses looking over their stalls, to see the baby Jesus, and a new star so bright, hanging over the stable watchfully.
This, thought Jacob, is something I know I will never forget; this is the first night of Christmas.

Ending 1: After telling his watchful mother of the events that night, they both knelt down and thanked the Lord for sending His Son as a little babe down to the humble city of Bethlehem. There were tears streaming down her face as Rebekah looked up and caught the radiant glow around her youngest son.

Ending 2: So he walked back to the field where sheep lay sleeping, with his loyal lamb following behind, thinking of the night’s events with great respect and reverence.

Luke 2:17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.
19 But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.


By Haley Brooksby
December 21, 2004