“Look! It’s a shooting star!” five-year-old Molly points to the light streaking across the evening sky.
“It’s a meteor, silly,” her older brother Jimmy taunts.
“That’s not nice Jimmy,” Daddy warns him.
“I’m gonna make a wish on a falling meteor.” Molly closes her eyes.
“Instead of just wishing, why don’t you pray?” Momma suggests.
“For what, Momma?” Molly asks.
“How about something that’s good for everybody.”
Molly scratches her head. “I was gonna wish for a new coloring set , but that would be good only for me.”
“Why don’t you think about it for a while?”
“Guys, let’s see how well we did with putting up the lights.” Daddy plugs in the cord into an outside outlet.
“Yeah,” Molly claps her hands. Even though it wasn’t totally dark yet, she could still see the colorful and bright lights on the house. “Now it’s time to set up the manager scene.”
“It’s manger scene sil…,” Jimmy stops talking and looks over at Daddy.
“I’ll help with baby Jesus and the Christmas star,” Molly sings as she runs to the garage. First, she and Momma pick up the manger and carry it back to the front yard. Daddy and Jimmy carry Mary, Joseph and the Wise men.
Then Molly runs back and grabs the pole with the Christmas Star dangling from the top of it. She’s always loved looking at the twinkling stars in the night sky. Often, she’s wondered if the Christmas star was like them or if it was different.
“Thank you, Sweetie.” Daddy takes the pole and sits it in place behind the manger scene.
Molly holds her breath as he plugs the star’s cord into the outlet. Instead of bursting into light, it stays dark.
“What happened?” Molly asks. “It’s not shining.”
“Maybe the bulb’s blown.” Daddy tries to open the star, but he can’t. “Jimmy, give me a hand.” They both try to pry it open, but it still won’t open. Daddy runs his hands through his hair. “This star is done.”
“Can we get another at a store and put it up instead?” Molly asks.
“I don’t think so. It would have to fit the pole to look right. Tell you what, I’ll order another one tonight.”
“But Daddy, that’ll take forever for it to get here!” Molly can’t believe they won’t have a Christmas star this year.
“It probably won’t take more than a few days.” Momma reassures her. “In the meantime, why don’t we go in for some hot cocoa?”
“But there’s no light on the manager scene. How are people gonna see it?” Molly crosses her arms.
“I’ll get my lantern I use for camping.” With that, Jimmy runs to the garage and comes
back with a small lantern. He turns it on and sits it in front of the manger. “How’s that?”
“It’s works. That’s so nice of you.”
“Thank you, Jimmy.”
Molly wrinkles her nose. Even though Jimmy had actually done something nice, the lantern’s light wasn’t bright or special enough for the manager scene.
The next morning, she sits down at the table. Momma sits the milk and cereal on the table. “Did Daddy order the star last night?”
“He did, but the company has had so many orders for mangers scenes that they are running way behind.”
“We’re not going to get it?” Molly’s asks.
“Eventually we will, but it’ll take a miracle for the star to get here in time for Christmas. I’m sorry. I know you’re disappointed.” Momma pats her hand.
Molly knows what to do and she’s just the one to do it.