Good afternoon everyone. Happy Spiritual Sunday to you all. Today I thought I would share a story with you. Also remember you can click on the Spiritual Sundays picture on my sidebar and it will take you to other Spiritual Sundays posts.
Last night while standing in line at the checkout, a couple ahead of us was having trouble paying for their purchases. They finally got squared away but it brought to my mind a Christmas many years ago when we were going through a similar experience. What I'm about to share with you is a true story. I pray it will be a blessing to you as much as it has been for me to share it.
A Christmas Miracle
The year was 1985, and what had started out as a promising year, by May, had turned disastrous!
My hubby had lost his job and with the loss of his job, he had also lost the car which had been supplied by the company he had worked for. He and the number one salesman in the Atlantic region had both been fired because of their honesty. Now one would think that in the workplace, integrity would mean everything; not so in that workplace! Needless to say, we were devastated by this turn of events.
To top it all off, the beautiful family home we had been renting had just been sold, and we were forced to move out to the country where rents were cheaper.
A Christian brother had loaned us a car to drive and by mid August, my hubby had started a small business. He supplemented his income by working a few hours a week at another job.
I was a "stay-at-home" mom, so finances were tight. For several months our diet had consisted of potatoes, peanut butter sandwiches, and whatever I could bake from scratch. We had no money to buy fresh fruit and vegetables, only potatoes. I learned to serve potatoes in many different ways which wasn't a bad thing; still the meals were pretty boring at times.
With the holidays fast approaching, we were concerned about what kind of Christmas we would be able to give our three little boys.
As the weeks flew by, and the Christmas season drew near, the bills were piling up and we didn't have the money for a big turkey dinner let alone gifts for our children. Peanut butter sandwiches would not be a welcome treat for Christmas dinner, so I brought my petition before the Lord. He knew our circumstances better than anyone and I trusted Him to take care of it.
I didn't know it at the time but He was working on a miracle for us.
Christmas was always a very big deal at our house and throughout December, excitement ran high. Our home always got trimmed earlier than most and the smell of Christmas baking permeated our home for weeks prior to the big day.
As December approached, we saw the Lord working on our behalf.
One night before the big day, our church delivered a big box of groceries to us. What a delight to look inside that box and find a turkey and all the trimmings to make a nice Christmas dinner. That same week, another box was delivered to our home. That box was filled with chocolates, all sorts of candy, and Christmas baking. There were even some small gifts for the boys.
About that same time, we began receiving monetary gifts too. One generous couple gave us five hundred dollars! Most of those gifts came from anonymous sources and remain a mystery to this day.
Imagine the delight of three wide-eyed little boys when on Christmas morning they arose to find their stockings bulging with all kinds of goodies. Our boys had asked for an Atari that year, and they were overjoyed to find one under the tree. We had such an abundance of food that we were able to have friends over for Christmas dinner. There were no peanut butter sandwiches served that day!
I have learned that when we ask the Lord for something, especially if it is good for us, that He is faithful to give it to us. Oftentimes, His gifts are more than we asked for and sometimes they are beyond belief!
The scripture verse from Luke 6:38 remains for me a promise I shall always stand on, "...and it will be given to you, pressed down, shaken together, running over, they will pour into your lap..."
This is a promise of blessing.
The Lord had provided all we needed for a splendid Christmas; a bountiful feast that we were able to share with friends, presents for our little ones, and money to pay some outstanding bills. The gifts had indeed been, "...given, running over, and poured into our lap." Most importantly He showed us that He cares about all the little everyday things that affect our lives.
If you were to ask my boys what their favourite Christmas memory was, they would tell you it was the Christmas of 1985 when God provided a Christmas miracle!
Scripture tells that there are times when trials will come our way and I know He allows these trials to show us just how big and awesome He truly is. He is more than our Heavenly Father; He is our Provider.
He takes great pleasure in blessing us. We are after all, His children.
"Merry CHRISTmas"
& the Lord bless each and every one!
