A Christmas story... true story from Pastor Bruce

It was a cold Christmas Eve evening... I had just been paid and , after the bills were paid, I had enough money to shop for my 3 young children , Then 6,9,&10... I knew what they wanted... It had been all I heard for 3 months...Tom wanted the Stretch Armstrong doll... Amy wanted some furniture for the doll house I had made her and John wanted some trucks to play outside with... I only had about $70 but hoped I would be able to get it all... their Mother had already bought things for them... socks snd underwear and clothes along with some toys... But I wanted to "come through" for them...

As I shopped I was frustrated because the shelves were empty and I am one of those people who hates the thought of shopping...typically, when I go to a store I know exactly what I want and usually know right where to find it... if not I ask on the way in... I get my purchase and make my way to the check out like the police are on my trail...That night I was picking up things to look at the price tag and see if I could afford it... I went down each aisle picking up stuff turning it over then setting it down... It didn't seem fair that I had worked all year and couldn't put enough money together to buy my children what they wanted.

But God had different plans for me this night... I looked everywhere for the Stretch Armstrong doll but to no avail... there was noone around to help me since it was Christmas Eve.... I finally spotted a man pushing a shopping card full of small merchandise... coloring books and crayons... small dolls... plastic trucks... I stopped him and asked him if h knew where the Stretch Armstrong dolls were located... He smiled at me and informed me that he didn't work there... He and his wife were there to buy gifts for the children of Linwood Ave...a haven for prostututes and drug sales and addicts...He said that most of the kids there would receive nothing unless they gave...

I found the doll and checked out ... all the while his words were burning in my heart... I got the change back from my purchase and was headed for the door but God stopped me dead in my tracks... He said "This man is doing the 'right' thing"
I had the cashier hold my one item at the register and i liiked for the man and his wife... I found him... took all the money I had left and with tears in my eyes, thanked him for doing the right thing...

I went to my car and sat there weeping... then reality set in... what are you going to tell the kids now? You have really disappointed them this time...

I went into the house and sat by the fire place... the warmth helped my to dry my tears.. the kids could see something was visibly wrong and they gathered around me to console me... I started to weep again as I told them I had a story to tell them about a man doing the right thing... I told them his gift was more important than mine... they all told me how much they loved me and how that's what they would have wanted me to do...

I was trying so hard to impress children who already loved me... trying to buy acceptance for kids who thought the world of me... BUt this story isn't about me... it's about a man... a man caught doing the right thing...

With in one week I had amassed over $1800 as money came to us out of nowhere... Obiedence is better than sacrifice...

Have a Merry Christmas