On television this week, political commentator Mike Huckabee pointed out that Joseph and Mary had gone from their home in Nazareth to Bethlehem to participate in the census, in accordance with the law. It was in Bethlehem, of course, where Mary gave birth to Jesus.

“God can even use government to do his will!” exclaimed Huckabee, whose political affiliations lean toward small-government and conservative values. “… If God can use our government, it really would be a miracle!”

After this fall’s impeachment debacle, it’s hard to disagree with him — no matter which side of that issue you’re on.

But if you zoom your focus away from Washington and back toward Moultrie, the miracles are all around us.

On Sept. 11, 6-year-old Tripp DeMott was struck by an SUV while playing near his home. The tragedy spurred the creation of the #TrippStrong hashtag and support from throughout the community. Tripp’s father, Scotty DeMott Jr., has kept the community updated on his son’s progress through Facebook posts, describing his struggles in the hospital and the success that let him be transferred to a rehabilitation center. Over the weekend, the DeMotts were able to bring Tripp home for a Christmas break, Scotty DeMott said in his most recent post. There’s another surgery coming soon and lots more rehab work, but DeMott himself is the first to praise God for the progress his son has made.

In an almost identical story, Colquitt County’s Clerk of Superior Court, Lynn Purvis, was struck by a pickup while walking across the street beside the courthouse on Nov. 15. Her son, Josh Purvis, principal of Sunset Elementary School, has also been posting updates on Facebook, including some last week that told of “busting” his mom out of the rehabilitation center and bringing her home. Photos show Lynn Purvis sitting on a couch alongside her son’s family with the caption, “God is enough!”

There’s been plenty of tragedy in our community in 2019 — we know because we’ve written about it — but in this season, it is particularly important that we recognize the miracles that have also taken place.

Merry Christmas, Moultrie and Colquitt County.