A Ragtag Nativity

I love the books of the Mitford Series by Jan Karon. I am a softy, really, and these books just took me to a place that I loved dearly. One book in the series centered on Christmas. In Shepherd's Abiding, the main character, Father Tim, found a forlorn Nativity in his friend's antique shop. The camel and shepherds had been painted outrageous colors, and if I remember correctly the camel's had goofy looks on their faces! One angel had a missing wing and the other was missing altogether. You get the picture? It was just BAD, and many people would have passed it by. It spoke to Father Tim though, and he decided to take on the job of fixing up this cast of vaugabonds for his beloved wife, Cynthia.
It wasn't an easy task. The pieces were quite large and made of plaster. Father Tim was a thinker and a helper, not necessarily the creative type who works with his hands. The story is beautiful as we see how this task affects the lives of Father Tim and the people around him.
I was delighted two days ago when I found my own ragtag nativity two days ago in an antique shop. It's small, mismatched, and plastic, but it reminded me immediately of Father Tim's crew. And best of all it was in my price range! I won't try to fix anything about it; even the pepto pink angel! It just looks sweet to me under my tree. Kinda reminds me of how Jesus came for us all, no matter how mismatched or hideously painted up we are!