Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas!
It's been a quiet one around here, not a creature is stirring and hopefully there aren't any mice around either creating trouble! The kids are down in Utah at their Dad's celebrating with him and their little sister. I'm quite certain they are having a great time.
No matter what the year has brought or what trials we have endured and suffered through, there is a stillness that comes with Christmas. I love that, for the most part, people are more gentle and loving and reach out in such kind ways. We seem to be more willing to give everyone around us a little more leeway and offer up some patience that doesn't always surface at other times in the year. People say it isn't about the gifts but it really is. It may not be about the worldly, expensive gifts but there is no other time of the year when we give so much and I love that.
As a family we have taken many opportunities to quietly give and serve in anonymous ways and that all adds up to overwhelming feelings of love, especially as we consider the more than generous gift we have all been given with the birth of Jesus Christ.
On Saturday, Shelbie needed to 'start' her Christmas shopping. She had set her heart on giving Sam a pair of Air Pods...not just a knock off set from China, but the Apple brand. We went to Best Buy and found the glass case where they were displayed. Neither of us know a thing about such gadgets so we were reviewing the options between us and trying to decide which bells and whistles were unnecessary. All the while, a young man about in his late 30's stood beside us with his daughter. He too was trying to decide on which Air Pods to purchase. He mentioned some things to us we hadn't considered and was very helpful in the advice he offered.
A worker came by and we asked him to unlock the case so we could purchase the headphones. As he was doing that, I asked Shelbie if she was sure she wanted to spend so much money on a gift for Sam. He hadn't asked for anything big and my kids have always been very simple and content with small gifts but she was certain this is what she wanted to do..."I just feel like he really deserves these and I want to do this for him."
At Best Buy, you can't just take your electronics purchase and mill around. The worker takes them to a holding place at the front of the store. They took down Shelbie's name and the name of the man beside us who had also planned to purchase a set. We thanked them both and started making our way up to the registers. On our way, we stopped to say hi to a friend who was there.
A few minutes later, we found ourselves at the register but the Air Pods were nowhere to be found. The man who was also buying a set was beside us and his transaction was almost done. Just as he was finishing buying his, three clerks were frantically searching the desk for the missing Air Pods, the clerk beside us called out..."Guys, I have her Air Pods! They've been paid for." just as the man hurried out of the store.
We were so confused! The man beside who was beside us, bought the Air Pods for Shelbie! We grabbed them from the desk, thanked the clerk and ran as fast as we could through the parking lot to thank him. We did catch up to him and Shelbie begged to give him the cash for the purchase. He refused and simply said, "I just want you to have a Merry Christmas!" Shelbie burst into tears and the man wrapped his arms around her and hugged her till the tears stopped. It was such an amazing thing! We don't know this guy. He knows nothing about us but his heart was full and kind and loving. It's not about the Air Pods at all. Shelbie does so much for so many every day of her life and rarely gets treated with love and kindness in return. She felt so loved that day and it came from a total stranger.
That was a great start to this Christmas holiday. I hope whatever the year has brought, for good or for bad, you find meaning and purpose because of the gift of the Savior. He is the light of the world...our little world.
It's been a quiet one around here, not a creature is stirring and hopefully there aren't any mice around either creating trouble! The kids are down in Utah at their Dad's celebrating with him and their little sister. I'm quite certain they are having a great time.
No matter what the year has brought or what trials we have endured and suffered through, there is a stillness that comes with Christmas. I love that, for the most part, people are more gentle and loving and reach out in such kind ways. We seem to be more willing to give everyone around us a little more leeway and offer up some patience that doesn't always surface at other times in the year. People say it isn't about the gifts but it really is. It may not be about the worldly, expensive gifts but there is no other time of the year when we give so much and I love that.
As a family we have taken many opportunities to quietly give and serve in anonymous ways and that all adds up to overwhelming feelings of love, especially as we consider the more than generous gift we have all been given with the birth of Jesus Christ.
On Saturday, Shelbie needed to 'start' her Christmas shopping. She had set her heart on giving Sam a pair of Air Pods...not just a knock off set from China, but the Apple brand. We went to Best Buy and found the glass case where they were displayed. Neither of us know a thing about such gadgets so we were reviewing the options between us and trying to decide which bells and whistles were unnecessary. All the while, a young man about in his late 30's stood beside us with his daughter. He too was trying to decide on which Air Pods to purchase. He mentioned some things to us we hadn't considered and was very helpful in the advice he offered.
A worker came by and we asked him to unlock the case so we could purchase the headphones. As he was doing that, I asked Shelbie if she was sure she wanted to spend so much money on a gift for Sam. He hadn't asked for anything big and my kids have always been very simple and content with small gifts but she was certain this is what she wanted to do..."I just feel like he really deserves these and I want to do this for him."
At Best Buy, you can't just take your electronics purchase and mill around. The worker takes them to a holding place at the front of the store. They took down Shelbie's name and the name of the man beside us who had also planned to purchase a set. We thanked them both and started making our way up to the registers. On our way, we stopped to say hi to a friend who was there.
A few minutes later, we found ourselves at the register but the Air Pods were nowhere to be found. The man who was also buying a set was beside us and his transaction was almost done. Just as he was finishing buying his, three clerks were frantically searching the desk for the missing Air Pods, the clerk beside us called out..."Guys, I have her Air Pods! They've been paid for." just as the man hurried out of the store.
We were so confused! The man beside who was beside us, bought the Air Pods for Shelbie! We grabbed them from the desk, thanked the clerk and ran as fast as we could through the parking lot to thank him. We did catch up to him and Shelbie begged to give him the cash for the purchase. He refused and simply said, "I just want you to have a Merry Christmas!" Shelbie burst into tears and the man wrapped his arms around her and hugged her till the tears stopped. It was such an amazing thing! We don't know this guy. He knows nothing about us but his heart was full and kind and loving. It's not about the Air Pods at all. Shelbie does so much for so many every day of her life and rarely gets treated with love and kindness in return. She felt so loved that day and it came from a total stranger.
That was a great start to this Christmas holiday. I hope whatever the year has brought, for good or for bad, you find meaning and purpose because of the gift of the Savior. He is the light of the world...our little world.
❤
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