I have been spending this first day of 2011 seemingly striking the perfect balance between thoughtfulness and laziness. A divine combination, I think.
In the morning, I did some reading (Love for No Reason by Marci Shimoff). Next to me was a small black cylinder containing a tiny packet of dirt. It was given to me by a treasured friend for my recent birthday and it is a sacred sampling of soil from El Santuario de Chimayo in New Mexico.
I wrote about this blessed sanctuary in early December in a Game Plan column for FoxBusiness.com called An Ornament and Miracles because it had had a special impact on me in 2010.
Imagine my astonishment, then, that on this day, the very day the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) launches, there is a show called “Miracle Detectives” and the first story is about El Santuario de Chimayo and the power of its soil. Knock me over with a feather. My eyes filled with tears as the hosts — described on the OWN Web site as a believer and a scientist — talk to a young woman who was cured of very aggressive lymphoma after combining spit and the sacred dirt on one of her lesions.
If I doubted for a minute that 2010 was mostly about strengthening my faith and trust in something much bigger than myself, well, it’s been signed and sealed as a powerful truth now.
Excuse me while I watch the rest of the “Miracle Detectives,” as the second part of the show is about guardian angels. That’s a whole other miraculous story …
Hi Nancy, My mom found this and asked me to read it. I am the girl on Miracle Detectives and I just wanted to comment on your post and the column An Ornament and Miracles. Reading these gave me chills while trying to choke down the lump in my throat.. They are both beautiful and thank you for writing such strong an powerful words on the Santuario de Chimayo. It is such an amazing place and I hold it very near and dear to my heart for obvious reasons. I actually visited it for the first time when I was in 8th grade along with other beautiful churches in Taos and Santa Fe. The next year was when I was diagnosed with Non Hodgkins t-cell Lymphoma of the bone. I believe that trip with my gifted and talented group happened for a reason as it reconfirmed my faith and although I didn’t know at that time, prepared me for what I was about to face. I had wondered why after 17 years this opportunity to tell my story came up and in reading comments on the show, comments from friends and family and reading you amazing posts, I feel it was to let everyone know what an amazing little Heaven on Earth we have in Chimayo. Filled with hope, faith, love and of course Miracles. I wish you a very Blessed 2011.
Thank You
Desi Martinez
loved Miracle Detectives….
better than 90 percent of the stuff out there…..the stories are amazing and while miraculous , they dont need to be moving to be profoundly moving!
Hi Desi —
Thank you SO much for writing. You’ve made my day. What a wonderful discovery we’ve made in that sanctuary, yes?
Blessings to you this year and beyond.
Nancy
I agree, Sara. Thank you for writing!