A Christmas Miracle

I wouldn't normally post two entries in one week, but this story just HAS to be told...

Yesterday Jeromy and i stayed unusually late at church visiting with my parents.  We debated between eating out or just coming home and opted to save the money and come home.  As we pulled up to our house, we noticed a courier van parked in our drive way.  We were both a little shocked. We never are the ones ordering or receiving packages, so needless to say we were excited to see what it was.  As we drove in, a man came around his van holding a Christmas package.  It was a large square box wrapped in pretty Christmas paper. We said our hellos and asked him what this was? Who was is from? As he handed me the gift, he simply said "The North Pole." Shocked, i didn't know how to respond. "Well, thank you!" I said with a smile. The driver just turned and got back in to his van.  As he backed down the driveway, i waited. Hoping to smile and wave to him as he looked back towards us, but he never did. He simply drove away. 

We were all excited and anxious about this mystery gift as we entered the house. Jeromy was on my heels as we walked up the stairs. "Who was this from?" we kept saying. "What is it?"  Once we set it on the couch, we looked more closely. There was no paper, no markings, no card. Nothing on the outside identifying its sender. Hmmmm.  Maybe on the inside?  We unwrapped the package and opened the box. Inside we saw three adorable Dr. Seuss stuffed animals.  For the kids, we assumed. There were even silly bands attached to the tags. Two "treat" silly bands and one "tanks" 100% perfect for our kids. The kids went bananas opening the bracelets and hugging the toys. They were oblivious to the mystery that was unfolding in our minds. Jeromy and i looked at each other, shocked. "Who was this from?" we repeated.  Under the stuffed animals, was a book. 'Theres a wocket in my pocket' by Dr. Seuss. But still, no markings identifying the sender.  Confusion slowly stirred as we noticed a a small typed word sticking out of the book. "READ ME"  What? What is going on? I felt like i fell through the rabbit hole and i would soon be drinking potion to make myslef smaller. Who. Did. This?

Curiously, Jeromy and i obeyed the command and picked up that book and started to read it.  Before we could even get to the pages, we found another sheet of paper. This time larger and with more typing on it. "When life gets rough, and hope seems gone, Know that you are loved and you are not alone. Merry Christmas"   Who? we both though silently.  Who sent this? Taped to that note was a gift card. No, not just one gift card, 4. As we flipped through them, we seemed to be in shock. Who? We never once even thought to look at the dollar amount until we got to the last gift card. The amount stirred instant emotion. As my eyes filled with tears my heart and spirit were overwhlemed and overflowing with gratitude... Who? Why us? How?
I told Jeromy to look at the amount on the gift card and we both stood there. Shocked. Completely shocked. The feelings flooded us instantaneously. Gratitude. Awe. Thankfulness. Wonder. Humility.  I knew this present was a gift straight from God. Given by a person, but sent from God.  We gathered together with the kids and their toys and prayed. We thanked God for this amazing gift. We asked God to bless the anonymous giver beyond measure. We prayed for wisdom to use this wisely. We thanked God. Again and again. We thanked God. Silently i was praying my own prayer to God Why? Thank you. But why? You know i will follow you regardless. Thank you. I recognize that its from you. Thank you.

Slowly Jeromy and i felt the whole weight of this gift. This gift was inhuman. This act of kindness was unheard of. And to do it anonymously? Who? Who would give so generously and ask for nothing in return? I felt like i needed to get to the bottom of this. I needed this person to know the enormity of gratitude that we felt. I had to tell them. How could we just accept something this grand. Why couldn't we bless them right back with our heartfelt and overwhelming thanks. Who? Immediately i called my Mom. Though, i knew in my heart that it wasn't from them. My composure failed me as i started to describe, in detail, the evens that had just taken place. Immediately my mother felt the emotions that i was feeling. Who? She felt overwhelmed with thankfulness for us. Gratitude. She felt the weight of what had just unraveled and couldn't find the words.  Like us, we all felt no words quite did this miraculous act justice.

 After i talked to her i went down the list of people that may have done this. There are only so many people that you can think that would give so generously. And to do it anonymously.  It is simply unheard of. Attempt after attempt failed as we got to the end of our list. Who?  The last resort was to call the courier company back.  As i spoke to the man who answered i said that "i had an anonymous package delivered to my house today...was it from you?" I waited. Nervous. Were we the recipients of a random act of kindness? It couldn't be, how did they know to give us three stuffed animals. And silly bands. This person just has to know us.  The man immediately recognized me. "Ya, arent' you guys up there in East Bethel?" YES!!! Yes we are!  Finally, i was going to know who sent this. I asked him if he could reveal the sender. I felt him smile across the phone. "Sorry, i am bound to secrecy"  "No", i said. "I am just so confused. Please if you could just tell me."  He said that he could contact the sender and let them know that i was confused. Noooooooo. That is NOT what i wanted to tell this giver. My friend. "No, i said, please don't tell them i am confused. But if you would call them, would you please tell them that we are grateful. That this is a phenomenal and life changing thing. And thank you. Would you tell them that?"  The man said he would indeed tell them our feelings. As we said good bye i wished him a good day. He responded "This just made my day ma'am."  I felt his emotions across the line. He was in on it and it was touching his heart too. Who? Jeromy and i sat downstairs, stumped. Who?

We wondered if digging any further would detract from our joy. We didn't want to ruin anything for the anonymous angel. We just needed to tell them thank you. For the next few hours we seemed to float from room to room. Silently thinking. Verbally pondering. Thankfully praying. Who? We felt so unworthy of such generosity. How do you accept something of this magnitude?  Our minds were mush and our emotions were spent. Who? We pondered every idea we could. Be we finally decided to be thankful that the delivery service was going to relay our message. We hoped they would understand the fullness of our gratitude. Our overwhelming thankfulness.  We agreed as a family that this truly was, a Christmas miracle. A miracle. There is no doubt in my mind. As i sit here today, almost 24 hours later, i still feel like maybe I'll wake up and this will all have been a dream. And if i never find out who was the anonymous angel?....I suppose i will have to live with that.  But if that person is reading this, i hope you can feel the enormous weight of our overwhelming gratitude for you kindness. Know that we know we are not worthy of it. We feel the weight of it and will ration and protect every cent of this gift. Know we are thankful. From the depths of our heart, thank you.

And you know what?  If that courier driver drove out of our neighborhood and straight up into heaven...i wouldn't be one bit surprised. Because God was here yesterday. I felt it. His power and presence in undeniable. And for that, i am even more grateful. Thank you!

Smile

What a day today has been.  I suppose to you, it may not appear that special, but for me, it has been wonderful.  I started my day out getting Ruby ready for school. We waited at the bus stop together, like always. (which reminded me, i really need to get a winter hat)  I enjoy watching my girl get on the bus each and every day and its so fun to smile and wave at the little nameless faces that i see looking out at me, just hoping for someone to wave back.  Just once, if someone would wave back...:)   It always brings me such joy just taking that ten minutes out of the crazy waffle making, egg scrambling, and juice spilling morning to wait with Ruby. We play 'simon says' with Sydney and just before they get on the bus, i always remind them what my mom used to remind me "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you"  I say loudly, as the bus pulls up "Be a light today girls!"  They probably don't even care, but i am hoping that it just sinks into their head and heart and that they subconsciously are lights in our very dark world.

Which brings me to my main point today.  Being a light.  I am always shocked at the craziness that i experience at the stores, on the roads, and in the grocery lines.  People are just so rude. They demand the discount that they were positive they saw, they argue about a misprice, and treat the employee as just that...an employee. Not a person.  Let me tell ya, i am the first to admit that i am always moving when i am in a store. There is no leisurely pace for me.  I don't just wander around and look at things.  I am moving fast with my giraffe like body and i know where i am going and what i need, and what time i need to be back to the car.  Get it? Pretty fast paced.  That being said,  i have always thought it was really important to smile.  I feel very deeply, all the way down into my heart that a smile is a priceless thing.  I like to intentionally look at a person as we walk into a store and just smile at them. I love seeing the moms with the crying babies and purposely meeting their tapped out stare with a smile. A smile.  When the woman in front of me in line at Herbergers yesterday (i was returning a doorbuster pillow that wasn't so much a doorbuster but a head acher) and she had her crabby hand on her hip and her toe was a tappin.  After the hugly pregnant girl rung her up she questioned if everything was on sale. The kind woman said the Clinique item was $25 and never goes on sale.  Well, wouldn't you know that thats not what the crabby lady wanted to hear.  She leaned into her hip and said that the sign said $20, blah blah blah. The woman called down to Clinique to check and they informed her that that sign was for another item.  Squack, squack the women went on about how that sign was so misleading and how mad she was about it. I mean, she was not happy, and it was very obvious. She was going to let this woman have it until something happened.  Well, the employee just informed her that she had marked it down to $20 and continued on. The customer didn't say thanks or seem appreciative, she just went on about that darn sign. I mean, didn't her Mother ever tell her that you get more bees with honey? I was shocked at the audacity of the customer. It was her mistake after all and she couldn't have found a kinder way to make her point?  That's the last that i heard of that conversation as my turn was next with a different cashier.  I was bummed because i had all these nice things that i was going to ask the employee about how far along she was and if she knew what she was having.  I wanted to make her feel special and do a little damage control for the woman who had just left.  But, of course i went to the other worker.  I tried to make small talk, laugh and even throw in a few million dollar smiles. I wanted her to know that i was being sincere and that i wanted her day to be a good one.  That, in turn, made me leave feeling joyful and glad.  I was skipping out of Herbergers while kissing babies, signing autographs and high fiving senior citizens!  Get my drift?  It felt good.  I LOVE doing that. I know how much i appreciate a smile. Unexpected but appreciated.  It just warms my heart to see someone smile at me as we make eye contact. What a gift from God smiles are.  Its like a little glimpse into heaven, i think.  It doesn't take much effort, but it makes a big impact.

So, today i woke up with a renewed spirit. For no particular reason, but i just was choosing to be joyful and i wasn't going to let anything get me down.  And what better way to feel good inside than a donut and coffee, right?  I pumped the kids all up about what a fun little trip it was going to be and how we would all get coffee and it would be great. I even through in a few extra smiles...they don't work so well on the kids, but i try never the less.  We head to Caribou with the $8 in cash. (Still in my pocket from yesterdays trip to Herbergers.)  It was going to be great.  As always, I order my small white mocha and get the kids an oreo cookie snowdrift split in two cups, i am feeling joyful.  I have cash. That in itself is a wonderful thing. Wait one minute,  let me take you back about one hour....this morning when i got up and got Ruby to the bus stop i had on my brown pajama like sweat pants, a plain long sleeved shirt, a greasy pony tail with a hot pink child's headband on, and no makeup.  Not my best look, but whatever.  Well, i was so excited about the joy i was going to find in coffee that i went against my gut and just threw on my purple Polaris coat and shades and away we went.(just wanted to catch you up on the beauty coming through the drive thru) Okay, now back to the drivethru.  As i pull up to the window a guy opens it.  Well, now this kid was so darn cute that it was almost distracting.  So instantly i am regretting the choice of a greasy pony and hot pink headband. Thankful for the sunglasses, i ask him something about this stamp card. Well, he told me it was a sticker card and not stamp and i got all nervous cause i couldn't find it and blah, blah, i said what do i owe you?  Thinking I could stall for time to find my punch (I mean STICKER) card.  Cause hey, if i am buying a coffee, you bet your bottom i want my 6th one free:)  He fumbles a little and says that i don't owe him anything that the car in front of me already paid!  I was shocked. Completely shocked. Almost enough to forget my sloppy appearance, but not quite. I went on rambling about how thankful i was and how this never happens to me and how i know about the drive thru difference and what a kind thing it is to do...

Now, there has been so many times that i had to scrape money together to get a coffee. I know, not because i NEED it, but because it is a fun treat.  But this time, I had the $8 burning a hole in my pocket.  I asked if i could wait for the next car to pull up so i could pay for their drink.  He said sure and i rolled up my window and waited. (well, i fixed my pony tail and waited)  Finally a car pulls up behind me and i can see a couple of heads in there (i was picturing 13).  Well, my brain starts swirling and i am thinking this is going to be the car that is picking up coffee for the office, or the teachers, or for their whole family...panic, a little of panic now...the handsome boy opens the window and tells me the total $4.85. Hallelujah!  I give them a five and drive away, but not before i smile.

I felt on top of the world.  I was thankful to God.  Not like the I almost slipped on ice but didn't kind of thank you Lord. But the heart felt "Thank you God for your many many blessings!"
In that moment i thought, i choose to be joyful today. I wanted to be obedient. I wanted to be a light in this very dark world, and i felt like God blessed me.  I can't explain it, and i know i am dumbing it down, but its how i felt.  Like our God is so amazing. Not just because i felt his love and appreciated that tiny gift.  I feel Gods love when i can't see it. I know he is there when i struggle, even if i can't feel it.  But today i just wanted to say thank you. Thank you God for smiling at me.  It turned an ordinary day into an extraordinary one!!

Smiling. I like to think that its one of the many ways that God shines through us. And what better time of year to share love with others?  Christmas, the busiest time of year. If only we could all take the time to smile instead of fret. Smile instead of argue. Smile instead of yell. Smile instead of frown. Smile. Its the simplest act. And if we busy ourselves trying to do for others instead of thinking they should do for us, what a wonderful world we would live in.  I truly believe we would be happier doing than getting.
That's my story and i'm stickin to it! (Insert wonderfully kind and genuine smile here)

I am thankful for...

Thanksgiving is right around the corner.  And one thing that i want to share is my thankfulness for my parents.  I have the BEST parents in the whole wide world.  I know some people look back and remember certain instances that made them mad.  Things they wish they never had to go through.  Frustrations where they think their parents failed them.  But not me.  I honestly can say that i think my parents hung the moon. They were cut from a different (and better) cloth than every other person that i know. They are such example of Christ's love. They are living out their faith each and every day.  They have endured great pain in life and they have risen from it because of their obedience to God.  And that is something worth sharing.

As i raise my kids i want so badly to do it right.  I want to emulate them.  I want my kids to look back on their lives and feel like they had it great.  Not materialistically, but in every other way.  I want to equip them spiritually, mentally, physically, emotionally, and socially.  And that is alot of pressure.

One thing that i haveworried about is not pressing my kids to be too competitive too soon.  I am competitive.  Always.  But i wonder how my parents did it. They never pushed me to be in sports or ran me ragged, but they taught me how to love them (sports). They showed me how to stand tall, even in weakness.  They taught me how to love the game and love people.  It was about winning and beating the other team, but not disrespecting them.  I may not have liked them on the court (or field) but i enjoyed them as people, off of it. The ref's calls may not have gone our way, but they showed me how to adjust to it and persevere.  I am stronger in every way because of my parents. The may have loved me, but they didn't always agree with my choices. They showed me to value others opinion, even if we disagree.  Never Boo another person.  Ever.
 I want so badly to do that, but how? What is the right amount of pull and push?  My Dad used to go outside and play ball with me in the snow. I would just put on my raggedy gloves and hat and dorky sweat pants and we would play.  I remember getting so frustrated with his hook shot. It was just unbeatable!  And ya know what?  It still is. (only now, his back may go out while he is throwing it)  As i look back i remember playing him and feeling like i was winning. But all he had to do was turn on the heat and remind me that i wasn't.  I don't think I ever got too mad.  But if i did, he probably handled is so perfectly that i don't even remember it being a problem.  All he had to do was put the petal to the metal if he wanted to beat me.  That was, until I got into high school.  It was fun to experience the joy of "playing" as a child and the fun of "competing" as an adult.  It didn't take me too long to give him a real run for his money either.  Eventually I was swinging my hip and boxing him out and shot blocks...ohhh, don't get me started:).  There was no way around this "tower of power" (just let me reminisce, will you) These memories are some of the best in my life.  Basketball was a highlight of my childhood all the way through my adult years. 
I have a picture of me and my Dad that my Mom must have taken one evening as we played.  I have been searching and searching like a mad woman to find that picture this past year.  And thankfully, i finally did.  It may not mean much to you when you look at it, but to me, it sums up a perfect childhood and a perfect example of what i want to be for my kids.  I don't know how my Mom and Dad did it all right, but i am so thankful for them. Words truly can not express the love and admiration that i have for my parents.  So this thanksgiving i am thankful (as always) for them....hook shot and all!

  I hope that this year we can all look at the wonderful things that we do have in life, and if they are people, let them know. What a way to spread joy and hope.  Have a happy and thank-filled Thanksgiving friends!!