BookLook "The Carpenter's Miracle"

“The Carpenter’s Miracle”
The most dreaded words you will hear this week before Christmas are, “Is your Christmas shopping done?” Complete strangers, friendly clerks and elderly aunts will ask with a big smile on their face. I want to reply, “Is yours?” But I am too afraid of the answer. Quick – grab a book for everyone left on the list and be done!

“The Carpenter’s Miracle” is the story of Josh the carpenter. One December day he is ice fishing when a young boy falls through the ice and Josh rescues him. The unresponsive boy Luke is rushed to the hospital but it is too late and his mother arrives to hear the news that her son has died. As Josh touches the cold shoulder of Luke he mutters, “I wish to God you could have lived, kid.”

Luke begins coughing and regains consciousness as everyone rushes back to witness his return from the dead. The nurse points to Josh and says, “He put his hand on the boy’s shoulder and he came back to life.” The story of the miracle soon spreads around the hospital and Josh becomes an instant celebrity but also an instant oddity.

He lives in a small town in Wisconsin where news travels fast and fish tales improve with the telling. Soon the national media hears about the “miracle” and descends on the town hoping to expose Josh as a fraud or a true miracle worker. Despite his constant protests that he didn’t do anything, his once quiet life soon spins out of control as reporters spin their stories trying to boost the ratings for their networks.

I enjoyed the humor in this little Christmas book. It was a refreshing change to read a story with average and oddball characters bringing the heartwarming message that miracles do still happen, even in Wisconsin in December. And when the next person asks if your Christmas shopping is done, smile and ask them when their baby is due.