As you prepare for the holiday season, keep this story in your mind and
= heart. Oh yes, and you just might need a tissue by the
end.
"The Gold Slippers"
It was only four days
before Christmas. The spirit of the season hadn't = yet caught up with
me, even though cars packed the parking lot of our = local discount
store. Inside the store, it was worse. Shopping carts and = last minute
shoppers jammed the aisles. Why did I come today? I = wondered.
My feet ached almost as much as my head.
My list contained names of
several people who claimed they wanted nothing = but I knew their feelings
would be hurt if I didn't buy them anything. = Buying for someone who
had everything and deploring the high cost of = items, I considered
gift-buying anything but fun. Hurriedly, I filled my = shopping cart with
last minute items a proceeded to the long checkout lines. I picked the
shortest but it looked as if it would mean at least = a 20 minute
wait.
In front of me were two small children - a boy of about 5 and a
younger = girl. The boy wore a ragged coat. Enormously large, tattered
tennis shoes = jutted far out in front of his much too short jeans. He
clutched several = crumpled dollar bills in his grimy hands. The girl's
clothing resembled = her brother's. Her head was a matted mass of curly
hair. Reminders of = an evening meal showed on her small face.
She carried a beautiful pair of = shiny, gold house slippers. As the
Christmas music sounded in the store's = stereo system, the girl
hummed along, off-key but happily.=20
When we finally approached the
checkout register, the girl carefully = placed the shoes on the
counter. She treated them as though they were a = treasure. The
clerk rang up the bill. "That will be $6.09," she said. = The
boy laid his crumpled dollars atop the stand while he searched his = pockets.
He finally came up with $3.12. "I guess we will have to put them = back,
" he bravely said. "We will come back some other time, maybe
= tomorrow." With that statement, a soft sob broke from the little
girl. = "But Jesus would have loved these shoes, " she
cried."Well, we'll go home = and work some more. Don't cry.
We'll come back," he said.=20
Quickly I handed $3.00 to the
cashier. These children had waited in line = for a long time.
And, after all, it was Christmas. Suddenly a pair of = arms came
around me and a small voice said "Thank you lady."
"What
did you mean when you said Jesus would like the shoes?" I asked. The
= boy answered, "Our mommy is sick and going to heaven. Daddy said she
might = go before Christmas to be with Jesus, The girl spoke, "My Sunday
school = teacher said the streets in heaven are shiny gold, just like these
shoes. = Won't mommy be beautiful walking on those streets to match
these shoes? = "My eyes flooded as I looked into her tear streaked face.
"Yes" I = answered, "I am sure she will."
Silently
I thanked God for using these children to remind me of the true
= spirit of giving. "Tis the Season!! Remember that it's
better to give = than receive so pass it on.
