The Journey

The Journey Day One
Copyright Deni Wom 2006

As the small town disappeared behind them, the young couple continued to be far too bashful to talk about anything of consequence. Instead they commented politely to each other about the weather, the potential for a good harvest in the fall, given that the spring seemed to have much rain, and many other polite conversational issues of little consequence.

When they came to the turn in the road that required them to cross a local stream, the lovely young woman kicked her feet, splashing the handsome young man she was with. She broke into peals of laughter, her brown sparkling eyes flashing merriment and exuberance, as he spluttered, then laughingly splashed her back after he had recovered from the shock of the cool water. As they giggled at their harmless mischief, they again took the measure of each other

A couple of hours later, the young woman indicated that she needed to walk a spell. Dutifully her husband helped her onto her feet. She lovingly held onto his strong arm as they walked across the rock strewn landscape.

It was the first time in their almost one year of marriage that they had physically touched each other when not in the presence of others. Her breast, heavy and ready for nourishing a child, caressed his bicep as they walked. The softness of her breast caressing his arm caused the young man to feel his loins jump with passion for his lovely vivacious bride. Yes, they both felt the thrill of that first touch course through their eager ripe young bodies.

The young woman looked sideways at her husband’s simple homespun robe. It had tented wonderfully when her breast had touched his arm. She smiled, satisfied.

They were both still virgins.

Their local customs prohibited them from doing “what married couples do” for one full year. It had been a very long year for them both. Not because they did not enjoy each others company, but because they both desperately wanted to make love with each other. They wanted to experience that wonderful god given consummation of physical and mental intimacy. They wanted to fulfill God’s FIRST commandment: “Go forth and multiply.”

They were both eagerly looking forward to the end of their obligatory celibacy.

Thankfully, this craving to make love to each other on their first time of being alone together was made a little easier by the fact that the young woman was heavy with child. Indeed, her Precious Baby was due in less than a month. But their government officials had required them to travel a long distance to be counted. The young couple had to travel to the place that the husband had been born.

The young man shyly looked at his bride from under his long thick eyelashes. His dark eyes smiled at her, telling her that he adored her. Her answering smile was full of life, full of the essence of love . . . . . and respect.

They had first met, oddly enough, at the river when they had both gone down to bathe. Being naked together as children was normal for them, and for the society in which they had grown up. But that was years before.

Now they were grown. The young woman had been included by the other woman in the rituals of the red tent for several years now.

But then, of course, being pregnant now, she no longer needed the rituals of the red tent. She often missed the close repartee of the women in the close, familial caring provided by the red tent. However, being pregnant, she was not permitted to be exposed to the millennia old tradition of protecting pregnant women from blood.

The young woman’s full shapely body had ripened beautifully. Her husband had watched her mature into a delightfully happy, lithe young woman, a young woman of unquestioned character, a young woman who was clearly very intelligent and very comely.

Her husband had desperately wanted her for several years by the time he had attained the dowry money to ask for her hand.

The young woman had been delighted that her father had accepted the young man’s proposal for her to marry.

And now they were alone, together, starting their lives together. They were both delirious with expectation and love.




As the day wore on the young woman, as all pregnant women do, had to make frequent calls of nature. Her husband helped her each time, turning his back to her as she used him to brace herself. Then, she being embarrassed by her inability to get up after squatting, he would help her as he kept his eyes carefully diverted.

She greatly appreciated both his help and his solicitous attitude toward her privacy. Yet, as the day wore on and they become more and more used to each other’s presence, she became less and less concerned about her privacy with him. She decided that it was because she trusted him. That thought brought a sweet smile to her lips.

The young man caught her smile. It was a little different than her public smile. It were as though she had entertained a private thought, and the thought had brought her satisfaction.

After another half hour of travel, the young man had to find a place to relieve himself along the barren rocky trail. He had held his urge for as long as he dared. There were no trees to hide behind, and he was embarrassed to do such a private thing in her presence. His nervous gaze as he looked for a place of privacy caused her to chuckle silently.

Finally, feeling guilty that her husband was obviously suffering in order to protect her innocence, she urged him “Husband, I will avert my gaze for you. Go ahead and visit your place, sweet man.” And she had turned her face away from him.

The young man scampered over the rocks far enough to be less audible, and then breathed a sigh of relief as his water poured forth.

She had hummed softly to herself as he stood erect and proud, doing his private business.

The rest of the day was a repeat of the periodic need for her to walk, and for them to do as God had designed them.

That evening, as the young man gathered the scraps of wood he had collected from short scrubby bushes through out the day, the young woman prepared unleavened bread to cook over the small fire.

After their simple meal, they lay down to rest. She had smiled privately as the young man had prepared her blanket for her. “Husband, you may lie beside me tonight, so that we may keep each other warm.”

They had both blushed as they thought about what they hoped would happen soon. Only a few more months of their enforced celibacy.

His strong arms around her felt wonderful. He cradled her belly, whispering his love to her as they snuggled for the first time.

“My sweet wife, what did you think of when I helped you do your nature today?” he suddenly asked. He had blurted it out so quickly that he had not thought through his question. He flushed crimson when he realized how impertinent and caddish his question had been. “OH! Goodness! OH! I am so sorry about my question love!”

The young woman laughed in spite of herself. She tugged his arms tighter around her as she smiled then softly said, “Well, my sweet love, I was a . . . . . thinking . . . . ummmmmm.” She could not find the right words. In the gathering darkness, her face brightened to red at her uncharacteristically bawdy thoughts.

Finally she finished, “I liked that you were here for me all day today, sweetness. It would have been so frightening today if you had not been so close to me.” She thought for a few quiet moments, then added, “And my sweet strong husband, I would not be offended if you did not turn away from me when you water your gardens!” She smothered a giggle.

Her impish impertinence was rewarded by his growing lump rising against her backside.




The Journey Day Two
Copyright Deni Wom 2006

At first light the young woman was wakened by the sounds of her husband gathering up the meager items of their impoverished camp site. She roused herself, ready to help her husband get ready to continue their journey. Her husband urged her to rest yet a bit as he got things ready to travel, but she insisted that she was able to help.

His loving eyes watched her stiff movements as her body slowly regained a portion of its youthful litheness. He had gotten up with her four times during the night to help and protect her as she responded to the incessant calls of nature. He worried that she looked so tired.

As they made their way on down the trail, he asked her how she was doing, if she was going to be all right. Her voice carried no sound of complaint when she cheerily told her husband that she was fine and looking forward to seeing more of the Promised Land on their travels to his birth place.

His heart swelled in pride that his bride was so positive and upbeat in these less than wonderful moments.




Later that day, they came to a small river. They were both glad of the chance to wash their clothes and bathe. The young man stood guard to assure of his wife’s privacy as she bathed in the cool refreshing water. It never crossed his mind to peek at her. Such was their bond of trust.

When she had finished, she came up out of the water and slipped back into her homespun garments. The garment was now tight about her stomach where the baby seemed to be growing rapidly.

She smiled at her husband when she put her hand on his shoulder and told him it was his turn to refresh himself. Then she added, her smile turning impish, that she was going to enjoy watching him as he bathed.

The young man blushed bright red, but his manhood surged in pleasure. Partly his fig rising, he was embarrassed to remove his tunic and under garment in her presence. As she promised, her eyes cherished her husband’s body as it became visible to her loving gaze.

“You are most handsome, and easy to look at my husband!” she chirped teasingly after he was in the water.

She was secretly pleased by the fact that his dark fig had swelled in pride as she watched him disrobe. Her navel quickly wetted itself for his pleasures, even though they both knew they would not permit themselves the forbidden fruit from their secret gardens as of yet.



As they grew nearer and nearer to Yerushalayim, they began to pass other travelers, some obviously as poor as they were, and some that seemed to be very rich, traveling with a retinue of slaves and servants, and even soldiers to protect them.

They passed one caravan that was exceedingly well appointed. Standing respectfully out of the way along the edge of the road, the long spectacle held their interest until it had finally passed beyond the curve of the hill, out of sight. In the caravan were three men traveling in great majesty and pomp. They were obviously very wealthy, and were very well dressed. Even the servants and soldiers were well clothed. The couple noticed that the rich men’s garments were obviously from places other than the couple’s own homeland.

The young couple discussed and conjectured what land the wealthy men may have traveled from. Even the young man, despite having traveled this very road before, had never seen such opulence as that of the caravan.




The couple basked in each other’s unstated warmth, the loving wedded bliss of being together as the day wore by. The roads were becoming wider and better cared for now. Their proximity to the holy city of Yerushalayim became more and more evident as the miles passed slowly under their feet.




That night, when they again lay down, her husband snuggled up closely and held her gently, lovingly again. She had been looking forward to his loving embrace all day long. The knowledge that he would hold her lovingly all night had made the miles of travel on the stocky little long eared donkey pass more easily. She smiled luxuriously as they looked up at the sea of stars, glistening in the dark ocean of the night sky.

Her husband raised his hand and pointed toward the eastern sky. “Look, beloved! Look at those bright stars! See how very bright they are? So much brighter than the others! I have never seen the like of them! I speculate that they are stars of portent!” They both felt the chill of fear trace their spine.

About the middle of the night she again had to rise up.

After she lay down again, he put his arms around her protectively, lovingly. They lay there in the profound silence of the night.

After a few moments of contemplation, the young man asked his wife, “So, is it true, my love, that you enjoyed seeing me unclothed?”

There was an air of naïve innocence, an uncertainty in his voice. She turned her head toward him, having detected his unasked question.

“Yes my husband, I did. You have a fine appearance. I found you very pleasing to look at.” She paused for a few minutes. A night bird sand a few times as they lay there silent. Then she asked “What else is it you wish to ask your wife, my loving husband?”

The young man fondled her almost ripe, swollen belly distractedly. It was not the same soft caress he had shared with her the night before. She grew nervous, waiting for his words.

After a long while, he spoke again. “In my dream. . . . . the one that I told you of, the one when I was told about your being with child?” The young man paused as he gathered his thoughts. “I saw . . . . . ummm, . . . . . . . what I understood to be an angel standing between you and me. You were looking at me too, and . . . . . . . your eyes were so very, very sad!” The young man took a very deep though ragged breath, as if to stifle growing tears.

After a few moments, he regained control of his emotions. In a softer voice he continued. “The angel looked at me with fierce eyes. They were protective eyes also, protective of you. Yet, at the same time, the angel’s eyes were full of compassion for me. I . . . I . . . . I knew, even as he looked at me, that the angel could see the anger in my heart, my anger over what I thought was your betrayal of your promise to me.” His words poured out now, “Oh darling wife, when I saw your swelling belly I was so hurt!” The young man again paused, trying not to be swept by his tears. “Then the angel put his hand on my chest, he touched me very softly over my heart, and told me that I must forgive you, for it was Jehovah that had lain with you, not a mortal.” The young man burst into tears, unable to contain the hurt that still resided within his heart.

The young woman shifted awkwardly around, turning so she could hold him as he sobbed. The young man sobbed for some time.

“May Jehovah forgive me for my anger against him,” he finally said, his voice so soft that his wife only barely heard the words

Then, his voice stronger and more resolute, the young man continued, “The angel held his hand over my heart until my heart stopped beating fast in my anger. Oh wife, I was SO very angry with you! I feel so badly for not having believed in you, my sweet wife. Can you ever forgive me for doubting you?” His sobs and tears returned, but not as strongly as before.

She kissed him on his lips, her own mouth soft, loving. She held their kiss until her husband’s mouth softened as well.

She smiled in the darkness at him. “Of course my love! Of course I forgive you for your anger. I understand fully why you felt betrayed, believe me. The whole time I was with my aunt at her house I tried to figure out a way to tell you, . . . . so that you could understand. But how do you help someone understand that you are pregnant, yet still a virgin? I could understand no way to soften the blow for you.”

It was her turn now to feel deep sadness. After she had also regained control of her own tears, she continued, “Darling husband, I have wanted to tell you, thank you for deciding not to make accusations against me. The angel told me that you would not. But still, sweet husband, I only wish that I could have helped you know for certain that I had not lain with another man . . . . . that I have not been unfaithful to you.”

They lay in the sweet forgiving silence of the night for a long time, each filled with thoughts about how their lives had been turned upside down by the need their God Jehovah had of them.

The young woman felt more than heard her husband draw in breath as though to speak. When he did not, she gently queried him. “Ask your questions my husband. I will withhold nothing from you, my sweet man.”

The young man shifted uncomfortably, yet still did not speak.

“Speak my love, ask me what you will.”

He took a deep breath several times before he finally got up the nerve to ask her the question that lain upon his mind since the instant he had seen her with a swollen belly. “What was it like . . . . . you know . . . . .to lie with . . . . ? What was it like to lie . . . . . . to lie with . . . . . to be with . . . . with Jehovah?”




The Journey Day Three
Copyright Deni Wom 2006

It was just past midnight. The young woman lay there, trying her best to find the best way to answer her husband’s anxious question. She was fully aware that his ego, and his deep sense of love for her, required her to answer this question clearly and succinctly. She knew that this was one of the most important answers she would ever give. And, as with every thing she had done during her life, she would answer with total honesty.

She cleared her throat, then began. “Husband, I love you more than life. As you know, we have not yet even visited each other’s sensual gardens, . . . . . not yet, but we will soon, my sweet love.” She paused to think for a moment, then continued, “And when we do, it is important to me for you to know that no other man has ever visited my loving garden before you. I give you my sacred pledge, my husband; no one but you will ever pluck the fruits of my garden of love.” She paused again, her mind moving quickly, trying to evaluate each possible alternative sentence before she uttered her reply. Then the perfect way of explaining her experience came to her, as if by divine inspiration.

“My love, as you know, Jehovah created us to enjoy each others company, and to enjoy touching and kissing each other. If our own love, our own delightful travel on each other’s garden paths, is as wonderful as my happy experience with Jehovah, we have much to look forward to, my beloved husband. Jehovah, of course, did not touch me. My body remains yours, my husband. No man, save you, will ever have invitation to visit my bed chamber. Nor, my beloved, do I wish for any man but you.”

She kissed him again on his slightly parted lips as he waited breathlessly, fearfully, for her answer. “But to be fully honest with you, my love, I did experience pleasure when Jehovah’s spirit did come to me. The feelings, the sensations, were internal to my body, not external. But Jehovah, even though I did know it was Jehovah, gave me the vision that it was you, my husband, that was with me during those moments. We, you and I, made sweet love my husband, in my mind, and it truly felt as though you were with me fully and completely.”

“I passed through my garden gate of sweet bliss my husband, your touches guiding me to wonderfully thrilling sensations of love, of passion. Yes, passion my husband. And in my visions of you, you were as I witnessed today as you bathed. You see, my love, I have seen you, without your clothing, during my time with Jehovah. I saw your handsome body, your bashful nakedness, your timid smile and soft gaze of my nakedness, and I felt your touches, your entry and your expiration. I felt it all my sweet husband.”

“The experience has made me crave your further touches, darling of my heart. It has made me want you, fully and completely. I want all of you, just as Jehovah has made us to desire each other’s caresses and touches.”

She listened for his breathing, hoping it would give her insight into his feelings. His breathing was steady now, not anxious as before.

After thinking her gentle reassuring words through, the young man said, “I love you sweet wife, even more now than before. Jehovah surely blessed me when he allowed me to gain your promise. My heart is quieted by your answers. I am pleased you have experienced those sublime sensations that you speak of. While I envy you your experiences, I await our time to be together completely, my love.”




Within a few short hours of travel the next day, they approached the holy city of Yerushalayim.

The young woman was enthralled by the cities obvious grandeur and sense of history. She had heard many stories of the holy city, but it exceeded her expectations by far. The sheer size of the buildings made her eyes widen in awe. The throngs of noisy people made her uncomfortable. As they passed through the narrow streets with building towering above their heads, the couple could not help but notice the stench of so many people living closely together.

By the time they had passed through the city and out the far gate they were both glad to have the smells, noise, and bustle of the city behind them.

“Only a few short hours now until we reach Betlahem, sweet wife.” the young man said as they began to pass through a shallow valley just beyond the south walls of Yerushalayim.

He looked worriedly at the sky where clouds were gathering, threatening a storm. The freshening breeze off the huge sea to the west had him worried.

In an attempt to help him take his mind off his worries, the young woman asked “Tell me what your home town is like, my husband?”

Distractedly he replied “It is a town on a hill from which you can see a great dead lake as large as a sea to the east and a wonderfully fertile green valley to the north, beyond which you can almost see Yerushalayim. Betlahem was the city of King David’s choice for where to live and love over a millennia ago. Did you know that the book of Ruth was written about what happened within its walls? But truth be told, I have not been there for such a long time my sweet wife, that I cannot tell you with certainty what the town is like now.”

The young woman looked at where her husband pointed, and could see far off in the distance, under the gathering clouds, the town which was their destination. She sat resolutely atop the donkey, waiting as patiently as possible for their arrival at their destination. The baby had become increasingly restless over the last hour. She hoped the child’s arrival could wait until they had entered the town and found shelter.

The roads were now nearly choked with travelers, all seemingly in a hurry to get to where they were going. The majority were headed toward Yerushalayim, but many seemed also headed toward Betlahem.

The roads also carried a large number of Roman and local governmental soldiers now. The soldiers seemed to be eyeing everyone suspiciously. Frequently she would see them stop people, and rough them up a bit as they asked them bellicose questions. She wondered what they were looking for, or who. She had a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach about what the soldiers wanted. She placed her hands protectively over her belly, as though to reassure the baby that he was safe.

The young man could sense his wife’s growing discomfort even though she did not give voice to her increasing sense of urgency to be off the animal in order to be able to pace as her body began its laboring. He urged the small animal to hurry, but of course was met with indifference from the animal. The donkey was already moving as fast as the plucky animal dared over the roads, carrying his sacred cargo.

As the couple entered the gates of the town, the young man began to search worriedly for a room in which they could stay. He was met with steadfast indifference to their needs. Indeed not only were there no rooms to be had, he could not have afforded the cost of the rooms anyway. There was far more demand for places of shelter than there were places of refuge.

Each time he would return from asking if an inn had a room for them, he would look worriedly at his young wife. She could no longer hide her pain as the laboring spasms increased in severity and frequency.

Finally, just before dark, the young man found a place that they could stay. It was inexpensive, and it was available. An elderly man had taken pity upon them when he looked at the young woman and saw her great with child, her face in the grimace of a labor pain.

The young man was utterly ashamed to tell his wife that the best he could find for the night was a lowly animal stable.

The young woman could see her husband’s humiliation as he walked dejectedly back toward her. She stiffly dismounted the animal and went to him, putting her arms around his waist and telling him how much she loved him. “Thank you sweet husband, for finding us this place to rest even though the town is well past full of strangers seeking shelter. This will suit us perfectly until you have registered with the authorities.”
Her thoughtful words seemed to ease the young man’s conscience. He helped her set up housekeeping, such as it was, and then built them a small fire outside. She tried to cook them a simple meal, but could not. The pains of coming labor were far too pronounced.

It was then that her water broke in a gushing cascade of wetness and muddle.




The baby was clearly close to coming now. The young man had searched at length for suitably sized and shaped stones on which his wife could squat as she neared delivery. He had taken the braided leather rope from the donkey’s halter and tied it above the birthing stones where she could hang from it in order to help maintain her balance and hold herself upright as she perched on the birthing stones during her wrenching labor spasms. The young man then placed clean straw between the stones.

The young woman’s face was a mask of pain now as her labor contractions consumed her. The young man worked feverishly, tirelessly to provide his wife with whatever help he could give her. She finally mounted the birthing stones as her pains became constant, unremitting, all consuming. Her hands gripped the rope as she hung there, her body convulsing in her final paroxysm of childbirth.



Just after midnight, a baby’s borning cry was heard to echo through the stable yard.




The Journey Day Four
Copyright Deni Wom 2006

The young man was doing his best to tend to all the unfamiliar things that must be done after the birth of a child. So much cleaning and tidying up, soothing fevered brow, and assuring the child is properly wrapped and protected from the night air.

It was not until the young man had finished his feverish tasks that he noticed there seemed to have been a great deal of light to aid him in his efforts. Looking up, he saw that overhead the heavy overcast had parted. The winds had stopped completely, leaving an unearthly stillness. There was a hole in the clouds through which an incredibly bright light was shining. He recognized the three stars they had seen the night before. The stars had surrounded the moon, completely full as it was, created a light nearly as bright as the sun.

Oddly enough, the brilliant light seemed to shine only near the small stable, including the stable yards. The clouds did not seem to be moving at all.

Then the couple heard murmurs from the darkness around the brightly lit stable. Several shepherds moved into the light, their eyes focused on the feed trough where the young man had laid his son as he busily did other necessary chores. They described having seen the brilliant shaft of light while they tended their flocks of sheep, guarding them from predatory animals.

The young woman was cooing to and caressing the wee baby. Hearing the voices and footsteps, she looked up, her face radiant in the brilliant moonlight with the love she had instantly felt for her perfect baby boy. She smiled at the shepherds as they stood there awkwardly, staring at her tiny baby.

To the shepherds, the young woman seemed framed in an eerie glow, her face and hair radiant in the night air. She seemed somehow holy, like an angel on earth.

The young woman beckoned to them, smiling at them, showing her willingness to allow them to come closer. Her heart and mind were filled with the import of what had just been wrought. The innocent Son of Jehovah was now lying beside her!

She smiled again at the shepherds as they crowded around the child. “His name is Jesus,” she said simply.

They all nodded at her, repeating the newborn’s name to each other. They periodically looked to the brilliant hole in the heavens, then at the nearby boundaries of the bright light, then again at the baby. There was no doubt in the shepherd’s minds that something extraordinary was happening here around them.

More sounds carried in from the darkness beyond the stable yard. They heard sounds of a Roman accent barking orders, then large animals being soothed, and then the baleful grunts of camels being forced down on their bellies, then muffled footsteps again drifted through the stable. Into the circle of light stepped three well dressed men. The shepherds scattered to the edges of the stable, making way for the obviously wealthy and most likely very powerful men.

The young woman looked at her husband. He nodded back at her, acknowledging to her that he too recognized the three men as the ones they had seen the previous day headed toward Yerushalayim! Their unique, expensive clothing was unmistakable.

In heavily accented speech, they asked if this was indeed the child foretold in the ancient texts.

The young woman smiled at them, then acknowledged that yes indeed, this was the Child of Jehovah, as confirmed to them by an angel.

The three wealthy men turned to each other and spoke excitedly in their foreign tongue. Then they twisted on their heels and beckoned to people that had been waiting beyond the periphery of the light with a throng of other people.

Three servants appeared, carrying large, wrapped objects. The servants came nearer, then stood slightly behind each of the well dressed men who were again staring in reverence at the newborn baby.

All three rich powerful men then bowed down in front of the hay manger that was cradling the baby. In unison they bowed their heads in utter reverence, chanting a sing-song incantation in their native tongue.

After a short while, they again stood up and motioned one by one to the servants patiently holding the large wrapped items. In turn, one servant after another laid a gift of great worth in front of the baby. The young couple had never seen such opulence in their whole life. The shepherds had bowed down when the powerful men did, but stayed in their posture of worship, their eyes wide with amazement at what the rich people had brought for this tiny baby.

The humble deference the rich and powerful men willingly conferred upon her baby brought tears to the young woman’s eyes. It would be the first of many memories that the young woman would cherish in her heart of hearts, and marvel at again and again.

Suddenly the assemblage heard a crisp crackling in the heavens above them. Every one’s hair began to rise, as if suspended by magic. Soon their hair was sticking straight out from their head. Looking up they saw that the clouds had now cleared, and in their place were long serpentine ribbons of light, shimmering brightly as the brilliantly colored ribbons seemed to dance across the heavens above them. Soon they could hear eerie humming, sing song sounds emanating from the heavens as the beautiful ribbons danced about, seeming to move in unison at times, then breaking apart into more ribbons of ethereal beauty. It was as though the angels had come to dance and sing to the newborn child.

No one had ever seen such beauty, nor heard such sounds, both hauntingly beautiful while at the same time sounding as if the heavens were singing as it danced.

The heavenly show of beautifully colored, dancing lights soon faded. The rich men and the shepherds wandered off to their own places of rest. By the time the light show was over, the young couple had reached their limit of endurance. The young woman wrapped her newborn baby in her cloak, then snuggled contentedly into her husband’s loving embrace. They slept soundly until franticly awakened by a Roman soldier just before daybreak.

His face was urgent, yet compassionate. He shook them awake, then in a forced, hushed voice said “Flee! Flee now before the others get here! Your baby is in great danger! Go, . . . go now! Take your boy child and go! Go far, far away!”

The frightened young Roman soldier then turned hastily and ran off into the night.




The Beginning . . . . .