I live in West Virginia most of the year. My grandchildren live in Colorado, so I needed to create a ritual for each one…something they could look forward to, and cherish the memories of, for years to come. When I’m visiting, I spend one full day with each doing just what they want to do. And, since the first sentence my twelve-year-old granddaughter uttered was “Shopping for shoes!”…she and I headed for the mall for our “Girl’s Day Out” yesterday. It was a beautiful outing, she got exactly what she wanted for Christmas, and we had several hours of quality time to re-establish bonds that are stretched by time and distance.
As we left the mall and began the long drive home through traffic, we talked about how going into a large mall two days before Christmas is like chumming for sharks in a fish tank. You’re elbow-to-elbow with a zillion people, standing in lines that wrap around the stores, and the parking lot??? OMGosh! Everyone is jockeying for position to make their great escape and 4-way stops mean nothing to these people. You take your life in your hands…and for what? Stuff. Stuff they’ll outgrow. Stuff that will go out of style or they’ll rapidly grow tired of. I ruminated on this the entire drive home while my granddaughter snoozed with the exhaustion of mall-fatigue in the passenger seat.
I had to stop by my daughter’s house for a swim bag then drop my granddaughter off at swim practice before heading to the grocery store. Suddenly…I felt Mr. Virgo’s love, specifically his love of Christmas, in the car with me. It took my breath away and then I felt that now-familiar, soothing “voice” of the Holy Spirit say, “Turn here.” I was dead-even with Walmart so I immediately turned in. I’ve learned to listen. I drove up and down the rows looking for a parking spot, waiting for the next whispered direction. This time it didn’t come in words but a little mini-movie. I smiled as my mission was revealed. I was feeling buoyant…a bubbly sense of love, good cheer, and Christmas spirit…the Spirit of Giving instead of the vapid extravaganza that played out in the mall earlier.
I walked into the store and went straight to the Christmas cards and searched for the perfect one then headed to customer service. I asked if I could anonymously pay for someone’s lay-away. They informed me they “called in” the layaways a week earlier. If they weren’t paid off, the merchandise went back out on the floor. She started to go ask someone about what to do, when the mini-movie started up again and I said, “No…please don’t bother. I’m supposed to do it another way.” I headed over to the ATM and withdrew some cash. Not a lot. Not enough to hurt my budget. But enough to make a difference in someone’s holiday.
The card was perfect…a pop-up card with gifts that said, “Surprise!” when you opened it. I tucked the bills in the folds of the popup and sealed the envelope. Then I wrote on the front of the card. I wrote about Mr. Virgo dying four years ago and how much he loved Christmas. I told them I had asked Santa that first Christmas to give me a new heart because mine was broken. Then I told them it’s been four years and I have my new heart now. I told them I know how times are tough these days but there is a loving God that gave His only Son for us and while I couldn’t give so grand a gift, I could give them this small token and that I wished them a Merry Christmas. I signed it “Your Special Santa”. Then I said a prayer and I asked God to show me who needed this gift.
I wandered through the store till I was drawn to a young couple looking through the toy aisles…picking something up…putting it back. Obviously they were calculating fun factor vs. cost. They were not dressed well. They looked like they worked hard for everything they had and it wasn’t much. I tried not to be too obvious. I didn’t want them to think I was stalking them. I really wanted the woman to walk away from her cart so I could drop the card on her purse but, of course, she didn’t leave her belongings unattended. Finally, I got the push I was waiting for. I walked up to them and said to the young woman, “Excuse me…I think this is yours.” She said, “Mine?” I hugged her and said, “Merry Christmas.” and walked out of the store. It felt SO good. It made me cry. I am so blessed. That was my gift to myself this year.
Tonight is the first light of Hanukkah and Christmas Eve. Some celebrate the Festival of Lights by giving small gifts every night for eight nights. And, some celebrate the birth of Jesus. He came in a stall, born amongst livestock, and laid in a manger. What if…. What if the innkeeper didn’t really shun them? What if the inn really WAS full and there was no room to offer the expectant parents? What if the inn keeper apologized and offered them the next best thing…a quiet, safe, warm place for Mary to bring the Christ Child into the world? He was born in a lowly place…he died in the most tortuous way, but the Gift was in the Giving.
I quickly walked away from the young couple who a few moments before had been trying to balance a meager budget to stretch over the holidays. I wish I could have seen their faces but I didn’t look back. That wasn’t part of my gift. Tears stung my eyes as I felt how proud Mr. Virgo was…that he was remembered in just such a way. I think I walked a little taller to my car. Such…Joy!
Happy Holidays! Merry Christmas! Happy Hanukkah! Joyous Kwanza!
May you and yours find Peace in this Season of Giving!
Love…
Ginny ❤️
“Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward them for what they have done.”
Proverbs 19:17 NIV