Many characters make up the threads of the Christmas Story. There are a few stray threads that we get glimpses of, but aren’t often seen as a part of the story. This Christmas, we want to pull on a few of those threads. Most are characters who made choices that left them missing out on the great story. This morning, we wonder about all those places Mary and Joseph could have stayed before they found themselves laying Jesus in a manger. What can we learn from the ones who missed out about compassion?