Had some of those miracles visit me the other night, as miracles are want to do this time of year. I had my friends in to view the creches. I made a series of shadows boxes and tableaus, called the caterer and made Joe Montana change into his good jacket. The showing was a run away success. I have beautiful and mostly sophisticated art forms of adoration and joy that comprise my creche collection and a few 'how's that?' pieces that I have because I bought them, just because. One piece is the Montana Creche, made in Big Sky, Montana, pictured here. I bought because it made me laugh. Those pious bear parents and the angelic bears guarding the Holy Bear Family just make me laugh. They crack me up.

So it was a real surprise that although one guy liked Honduras and the seed pod nativity the best; one of my girlfriends like New Mexico best; and somebody loved Russia, people mostly loved Montana! I view that as an affirmation of laughter and love. Go figure.

Monsignor came and I was so happy to see him, as always. He is a King and a man who has directed my life in rich, fulfilling ways. When it was time for him to leave, I walked him down the hall to the elevator and he said quietly, "I need to talk to you." As he is my confessor and my confidant, I thought ruh roh. Review points. He continued in a quiet, serious manner: "Do you have a Precious Moments Nativity?" My stomach churned. ugh! He can't be asking me this! I said, "A Precious Moments Nativity , Monsignor? No! I do not have one.". He looked at me sideways as we walked and said, now a bit expansively, "Now I know it's not your thing. But I have my mother's Precious Moments nativity scene and it hasn't been out of the box since she died." I was thunderstruck, humbled, and ashamed , all at once. I said, my voice now low, "I would be thrilled and honored to have your mother' s Precious Moment nativity, Monsignor". He said, "I would be honored for you to have it because I know you'll take care of it for me." I punched the elevator button and the door opened immediately; I took his elbow and guided him on the elevator and said simply, "And I will."

And that's the true story of a true miracle. If anyone ever thought the day would come where I would be jumping up and down, squealing, Pick me! Pick me! at a Precious Moments nativity scene, they probably would have been equally confident that hell would freeze over at the precise same moment. But it happened, just this week, and I am so very grateful, again, for the sliver of light that always manages to find its way into my dark, smoky life. I am rich, rich, rich.


JBelle
Bellemaison
The 'Kan EWA