Father Timothy Kavanagh, married for the first time at the age of sixtysomething, struggles to deal with the upheaval and delight of having a wife, while also presiding over the triumphs and troubles of the people of the small town of Mitford, North Carolina.

In the gentle tradition of James Herriot, Bailey White, Ferrol Sams, and Garrison Keillor, Karon continues the fresh and beautifully written story of a small mountain town in the South. The village rector, Father Tim, can no longer deny his feeling for his neighbor. But what about the wealthy widow who has been wooing him with casseroles? It's clear that Father Tim is in need of divine intervention.

Restless with his retirement, Father Tim, accompanied by Cynthia, gears up for a year-long ministry across the state line, but a series of events sends shock waves throughout the town of Mitford and through Father Tim's faith.

Since he was a boy growing up in Mississippi, Father Tim has lived what he calls "the life of the mind". But then he finds a derelict nativity scene that has suffered the indignities of time and neglect. Can he give the small assembly new life, restore the camel's ear, repaint every piece? Imagining the excitement in the eyes of his wife, Cynthia, he steps up to the plate, beginning a small journey of faith that touches everyone around him. Also included...