A Real Christmas Story

system · August 22, 2016, 10:58pm

[COLOR=“Blue”][B]There is a reason for everything, even if we don’t understand why at the moment.[/B][/COLOR]

I’ve been obsessed with getting yarn, as you might know.
Well, my obsession got me to go out this morning, bargain hunting.

I finally went to the thrift stores here,
and got some good deals, 25 cent skeins, stuff like that.
Well, I went to a close by thrift store, and found only one little skein of wool, and was disappointed.

As I waited in checkout line, a grandma and her 2 grandkids were buying used books.
One girl was about 9, and she was well mannered and didn’t talk back or complain when grandma told
her to put the book back, she just silently walked back, slowly, to put it back on the shelf.

:sad: My heart was being tugged so hard,(that was Jesus, pulling at me, and I PRAISE THE LORD for
those tugs) I had to speak up, and I asked grandma if it was alright if I
bought the book for the 9 yr. old girl. She said, yes, and was surprised, and very thankful.
(I felt embarrassed, being thanked, and tried to change the subject, so she could “save face”, I didn’t want
her thanks, it wasn’t necessary)
I went over, and told the girl her grandma said she could have the book, after all.

She was SO happy! She started telling me how she wants to be a clothes designer when she grows up,
and how she watches clothing shows on tv.
It almost made me cry on the way home. I remember when I didn’t have enough money to
get my daughters things, and, when I had to tell them, [U]in thrift stores, to “put it back”, cause we couldn’t afford
it, at the time. It just makes me cry right now, thinking about it, but, I was SO happy and blessed by Jesus, to be there
at that moment in time, to get the book for the little girl. [/U] She has blessed me just by being there. I hope
she DOES become a fashion designer!!!

bethany · August 23, 2016, 9:08am

and that is what Christmas is about! What a gift, from you and for you. Merriest of Christmases to you! To all!

knitncook · August 23, 2016, 9:08am

Pay it forward! Hopefully that little girl will remember your kindness one day and be able to pay it forward to some other little girl. It could make all the difference in the world!

cookworm · August 23, 2016, 9:08am

What a wonderful story, and how generous of you!!!

I too have a great Christmas story; I wanted to share because I can’t believe how generous and kind this man was to me and my family.

My three kids and I went grocery store shopping recently. I am embarrassed to say so, but I was crabby because it was very busy and trafficky because of Christmas traffic…this grocery store was the same. We had to park quite a distance, and normally, it doesn’t bug me too much, but today, it was just one more thing to aggravate me. Anyway, my toddler had a temper tantrum right as we got into the store, which isn’t like her (if she has them in the store, it’s usually mid-trip:wink: ), and I tried to bribe her with a ride on one of those vending machine rides. I reached into my pocket and realized that I didn’t have any change on me, so I sent my older daughter back to the car where I remembered I had some change. I told her she could catch up with us as I began my trip.

We began shopping, and my older daughter caught up with me. We finished, and I paid; as I paid, my two daughters were at the vending machine ride. As I walked over to them, I felt around in my pocket for a $20 bill that I had put in there at the start of the trip; it was going to be used for a few other things we were going to need after this grocery trip. It was gone. I frantically looked around in all my pockets, but I had a sinking feeling that it wasn’t going to be there, either. Nope. I was totally panicking now, because we’re between paychecks, and that $20 might as well have been $1 million. How am I going to tell my husband that I lost $20 like some irresponsible little kid???

I was hopeful as we walked out to the car that I would find the money in the car, but I was doubtful (sounded to good to be true). We put our groceries away, and my three kids were really helpful about getting each other all fastened in (they sensed my panic). Now I was getting really edgy and crabby. I was looking everywhere, even though I knew it was gone. The grocery store was one of those big ones…it could’ve been anywhere, and besides, who would “turn in” a $20??? I was standing outside of my car crying a little bit, and I said aloud, “I can’t believe I lost $20.” There’s a guy getting into his car that’s parked directly across from us (keep in mind that we’re parked pretty far away), and he says, “You lost $20?” and I said, “Yeah”. He holds up this folded $20 that looks like the same way I fold my money. I secretly thought to myself, “NO WAY!!!” I figured he must’ve been trying to be nice and give me his own money because that is just too coincidental, right??? So I said, “No, please, I can’t take your money”. He goes, “No, I just found it in the store”. Well that was it for me. I broke down in full blown tears because I couldn’t believe the way everything had been timed. First of all, for this guy to be parked directly across from us, well, that was amazing enough. Secondly, for all of us to have been coming out of the store at around the same time, that’s pretty amazing. For this particular guy to have picked up the money and nobody else, that’s amazing. But what amazed me most is that here this man was honest and generous enough to give back the $20 that we lost. I was blown away and am STILL blown away by that. After that, I can’t even tell you how humbled I was, and how ashamed at myself for being crabby that day. If we wouldn’t have had to park so far back, we never would’ve recovered our money. Everything DOES happen for a reason!

Carla1019 · August 23, 2016, 9:08am

:angelgrin: :waah: :waah: You got me to start crying… what a story, Your heart is twice the size now… She will remember you for every and so will you…

system · August 23, 2016, 6:59pm

cookworm:

What a wonderful story, and how generous of you!!!

I too have a great Christmas story; I wanted to share because I can’t believe how generous and kind this man was to me and my family.

My three kids and I went grocery store shopping recently. I am embarrassed to say so, but I was crabby because it was very busy and trafficky because of Christmas traffic…this grocery store was the same. We had to park quite a distance, and normally, it doesn’t bug me too much, but today, it was just one more thing to aggravate me. Anyway, my toddler had a temper tantrum right as we got into the store, which isn’t like her (if she has them in the store, it’s usually mid-trip:wink: ), and I tried to bribe her with a ride on one of those vending machine rides. I reached into my pocket and realized that I didn’t have any change on me, so I sent my older daughter back to the car where I remembered I had some change. I told her she could catch up with us as I began my trip.

We began shopping, and my older daughter caught up with me. We finished, and I paid; as I paid, my two daughters were at the vending machine ride. As I walked over to them, I felt around in my pocket for a $20 bill that I had put in there at the start of the trip; it was going to be used for a few other things we were going to need after this grocery trip. It was gone. I frantically looked around in all my pockets, but I had a sinking feeling that it wasn’t going to be there, either. Nope. I was totally panicking now, because we’re between paychecks, and that $20 might as well have been $1 million. How am I going to tell my husband that I lost $20 like some irresponsible little kid???

I was hopeful as we walked out to the car that I would find the money in the car, but I was doubtful (sounded to good to be true). We put our groceries away, and my three kids were really helpful about getting each other all fastened in (they sensed my panic). Now I was getting really edgy and crabby. I was looking everywhere, even though I knew it was gone. The grocery store was one of those big ones…it could’ve been anywhere, and besides, who would “turn in” a $20??? I was standing outside of my car crying a little bit, and I said aloud, “I can’t believe I lost $20.” There’s a guy getting into his car that’s parked directly across from us (keep in mind that we’re parked pretty far away), and he says, “You lost $20?” and I said, “Yeah”. He holds up this folded $20 that looks like the same way I fold my money. I secretly thought to myself, “NO WAY!!!” I figured he must’ve been trying to be nice and give me his own money because that is just too coincidental, right??? So I said, “No, please, I can’t take your money”. He goes, “No, I just found it in the store”. Well that was it for me. I broke down in full blown tears because I couldn’t believe the way everything had been timed. First of all, for this guy to be parked directly across from us, well, that was amazing enough. Secondly, for all of us to have been coming out of the store at around the same time, that’s pretty amazing. For this particular guy to have picked up the money and nobody else, that’s amazing. But what amazed me most is that here this man was honest and generous enough to give back the $20 that we lost. I was blown away and am STILL blown away by that. After that, I can’t even tell you how humbled I was, and how ashamed at myself for being crabby that day. If we wouldn’t have had to park so far back, we never would’ve recovered our money. Everything DOES happen for a reason!

[B]The Lord does work in mysterious ways. I’m glad to hear that you recovered your money and doubly glad that the man was honest enough to return it. May his good deed be given back to him :)[/B]

system · August 23, 2016, 6:59pm

Wow, the thought of the ripple effect is pretty powerful, isn’t it?:thud:

Dangles · August 23, 2016, 9:08am

Bless your heart, photolady.