Ahead of schedule, I strapped Eva into her car seat and put her diaper bag in the front seat. With only the beanie weenies left to grab, I locked up and headed to her preschool. I had placed the crockpot on the car’s floorboard so it would have a level place to travel.
When I taught fitness classes, we enjoyed seasonal potlucks—the time spent getting to know them solidified lifelong friendships even after we moved away.
Approaching Eva’s preschool, I took her inside and headed to work. I loved that she was so close to me each day while I taught during the morning hours. She would play and be cared for by the most attentive and loving ladies, and then I would pick her up in time for lunch.
I drove slowly and carefully, not wanting to tip the crockpot over. Arriving at work, I pulled into a parking spot. What I thought was slow and methodical, the beanie weenies did not. Mini hotdogs and liquid gravy covered the floorboard of my car. I sat there looking at it, nodding my head at the disaster. I decided there was nothing I could do about it, so I shut the door and went inside. Hoping it would disappear by the time I came back. Once inside, I shared with my class what happened to the dish I was bringing. We all laughed at the turn of events – no pun intended.
After teaching aerobics, everyone began to set up for our feast! I came down the hallway to see what I could do to help when I met a lady holding rags, paper towels, trash bags, cleaning sprays, and gloves. She said, “Let’s go.” I was taken off guard, not sure what she was referring to. She was a part of the cleaning crew that kept our facility sparkling clean; no fingerprint was not wiped clean from the glass or a smudge on the floor that didn’t have her stamp of cleanliness. It was then that I realized she intended to help me clean out my car.
It was weeks before I finally got the last of the smell of grape jelly and barbeque sauce out of my car, but her kindness to me was never forgotten.
MAKES A GREAT CHRISTMAS GIFT!
When Moses returns from leading the Israelites out of Egypt, he meets his father-in-law in the desert. They had a warm reunion and sat down together to catch up. Moses tells him all of what God had done in Egypt. Egermiers Children’s Bible says, “Tears ran down his face as he heard of all the wonderful things the Lord had done.” Exodus 18:1-5
It is in an attitude of thanksgiving that miracles happen.
It was an ordinary day of school drop-offs and household tending. There was a sting of sadness behind my eyes, but not lasting when I thought of the goodness God had blessed my life with.
Charlotte and I had spent some time outside that morning, as we typically do. The dogs played, and Charlotte enjoyed climbing up the small grassy knoll just so she could run into my arms – squealing all the way down. By mid-afternoon, it was time to go pick up Eva from school. It was then that an old childhood friend contacted me. It was a short conversation, entailing a gift she wanted me to have. She had learned of my upcoming book signing and had the perfect dress that I must wear. She told me it would be in the mail the following day so I would receive it in time.
Grace: the free and unmerited favor of God
Favor: to be satisfied with the pleasure, delight, and blessing of God
Unbeknownst to her, storm clouds had billowed over my heart a few days before. But nothing the Lord could not heal. Sorrow cannot be a place we live. It may be an emotion we feel from time to time, but it must be temporary – “Weeping may endure for the night, but joy comes in the morning!” Psalms 30:5
When the dress arrived, it was a perfect fit. I smiled each time a compliment was lavished upon me, knowing that someone many miles away had been a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day.
In the movie Anne of Green Gables, Anne lends a dress to a new friend, Pauline, in order that she might attend an anniversary celebration in a beautiful gown instead of an old black dress she wore every day. Not that I wear the same clothing daily, but Anne Shirley comments when Pauline tries to give the dress back. She says, “You keep the dress. Heaven knows you might get to wear it again. “You never know when a small act of kindness might be just the miracle someone needs.
Picking up cold, solidified beanie weenies off the floorboard of my car was disgusting and messy but more tolerable with a friend. And yet, the dress sent to me was as casual as Anne of Green Gables giving hers away to a friend in need. The benevolence bestowed upon me was of no happenstance. It was a reminder of a Heavenly Father that loves me. My secret was covered in lace, but my sorrow was covered by grace.
For by grace we have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is a gift from God.
Ephesians 2:2
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