A Christmas Gift



My Sweet Babies

At Church

Back in 1992, I was a single Mom, with 2 babies, 2 and 3.  I had been working for the Department of Public Social Services for over a year, but money was still tight, with childcare and the likes.  I had scrimped and saved for Christmas, however, and had exactly $300.00 to spend on my babies for a wonderful Christmas, I hoped, full of toys and joys.  It was an exciting evening for me.  It was after work, and dinner, and I had hired a babysitter for the children for this pleasurable evening: everything was perfect!!  I was going to buy all the Christmas presents I could with $300.00, that would be approximately $150.00 each!  I entered the store, and proceeded to the ATM machine to receive the hard earned money.  (There were not ATM card receivers at the checkout stands in those days.)  I was going to have a blast shopping!  I proceeded down to the toy aisle, and leisurely and carefully placed each item of value into my cart, choosing the presents I knew my children would enjoy.  After I calculated that I had spent my max,  I ventured to the checkout lanes.  After all the toys were added up, and a little over what I had planned, I reached in my purse to pull out the money.  It was then that I shockingly realized that I had not taken the money from the ATM machine!  I immediately stated "Wait a minute!" to the clerk, and speedily ran to the ATM machine.  There was no way that money was going to be in there after all this time! I knew someone had taken it!  I stared blankly at the money release exit that was right on top of the machine, in plain view of everyone.  The money was there!  All of it!  I grabbed it, with a huge gasp, and said a small prayer under my breath.  I ran back to the clerk and anxiously paid for my toys, with an enormous relief, and gathered my toys and walked out.  What had just happened?  After an an hour of that money sitting there on the top of the machine, in full view, and noone took it?  I realized that this was a miracle for me in my life.  The Lord had blessed nothing to happen to that money, until I came back for it!  Jesus Christ loved me and wanted me to have a lovely Christmas with my family.  This added a whole new awareness, and level of appreciation toward my Savior.  I silently rejoiced, and again prayed a silent prayer to our Father in Heaven for saving that money for me.  It was truly going to be a wonderful Christmas.



Holloween