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Christmas is a time of miracles. Believing. and Faith.
I am sharing this story again, at your many requests.
I want to share with you one of my favorite Christmas stories
and if it wouldn’t have happened to me, I am not sure I’d believe it either.
That is the thing, this really happened, it’s not something I “dreamed up” as a pretty story.
Quite a few years ago, I went on the first ever “Clothe the Children” Charity Event with my husband’s service club.
The idea was that 100 children from families in need would be matched up to 100 volunteers, and taken on a $100. shopping spree to our local Mervyn’s store.
The store would open early only for all of us, and the prices would be almost “at cost” so that the children could choose what they needed for the winter months.
I was matched up to a young girl of about 8, Anna, and the morning of our shopping adventure, she was clutching a list her mom had made for her.
Items she desperately needed, such as new socks, a pair of jeans, a sweatshirt and tennis shoes were on the list.
Once the store doors were flung open wide by the store’s employees (who volunteered this time at work)
Anna and I joined the 100 children and their “helpers” and rushed into the warm store.
I had Anna’s list, and was reading “jeans” and wanted to go straight there, but
my little one set her eyes on a sparkling, red, fancy holiday dress.
You know that kind? With tulle, and lace and a poofy skirt.
Oh! I could see it in her eyes, THIS is what she really wanted to buy.
Not underwear, socks, a pair of jeans and sweatshirt.
I tried to steer her away, saying her mama had made a list,
and that’s what we needed to look for, as there was only so much time before we had to leave.
So she trailed behind me, casting wistful eyes on that red, totally-impractical red party holiday dress.
We choose all the things on her shopping list quickly, and were the first ones to arrive at the dressing rooms.
There, a salesgirl let us in, but said she had to turn on all the lights first, since it was still dark in there.
She turned on the lights in the dressing room one by one, and the three of us went to the back and chose a little dressing room.
The salesgirl opened the door to the little cubicle, and can you guess??
I couldn’t believe it, but that sparkling, red holiday dress was hanging in that room!
Honest.
The salesgirl was so perplexed, as all the rooms had been cleared the night before.
And I? I got tears in my eyes.
I know, silly me. But really? THE DRESS!
By then, I had already decided to buy Anna that dress, no matter what,
and have it brought to her school later.
We weren’t allowed to spend more than the allotment, since that wouldn’t be fair for the other children.
I told my little Anna that Christmas is a time for miracles.
And that God knew how much she wanted that dress, and He loved her so very much.
He wanted to give her the desires of her heart.
And that this was a little Christmas miracle.
Oh, I know, it’s not the huge kind of miracle of saving lives and making a path in the ocean waters.
But still. It was a miracle for little Anna.
And it was a miracle for me…
It showed me once again that God so loves each one of us, and He cares about the desires of our heart.
Of course, as you can guess, the dress FIT HER.
When we reached the cashier, our purchases, everything on Anna’s list,
AND the dress, came to a total of 99.98!
I got so much more out of volunteering to help a little girl shop for clothes.
So. Much. More.
I cried all the way home that morning. Not because Anna was able to get her dress.
But because our Father in Heaven loves us so much.
And He’s always there.
Our family, like yours, I am sure,
has had its share of heartbreak, and very scary hospital moments.
And it was during those most scary moments and heartbreaking moments
that I felt His presence most of all.
Not because He’s not always with me, but because I’m not always so connected to Him.
When unexpected scary things happen, or a truly devastating thing,
we worry, and fret.
But God has a divine plan for our lives, God never changes, even when our circumstances might.
I hope that you believe in the true magic of Christmas.
And wish you the most beautiful, memorable holidays spent with everyone you love gathered around your table
to celebrate the birth of Jesus.
Because we celebrate the birth of that baby Jesus, who came to change the world.
Your world, my world, everyone’s world.
I am so grateful to be able to celebrate this beautiful season
of Christmas.
MERRY CHRISTMAS DEAR FRIENDS!
DO YOU HAVE A MIRACLE YOU WANT TO SHARE TO ENCOURAGE US?
à bientôt
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Lidy, what a sweet story. Sometimes things are just meant to be…part of the grand plan. What a lucky little girl and lucky you to be a part of her Christmas miracle. Well…it was your Christmas miracle,too!
Thank you and Merry Christmas, Lidy.
Merry Christmas Lidy! Your heart is pure gold. May all who are within your reach feel it shine on them this special Holiday time.
A real Christmas story .Brought tears to my eyes . A very Merry Christmas to you too, Lidy.
Merry Christmas, Lidy!
Well, the ??? were supposed to he emojis of prayers answered, and a hearts wrapped in a bow. What a great story!
Thank you for sharing this lovely story, Lidy, and for the gift of letting us know your heart, along with your wonderful taste and eye for beauty.
Wonderful uplifting story!
Merry Christmas! This story truly blessed my heart! Thank you for sharing God’s unconditional love with us!
Love this! Thank you for sharing.
Thank you so much for sharing this story Lidy. May we never be so busy that we cannot take the time to be reminded of why we celebrate Christmas. God gave us the greatest gift in His Son and He still performs miracles today. Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Thank you for sharing this moving story with us this morning. It is such a special Christmas story, and it brought tears to my eyes. Lidy, you have the most kindest heart, and it is conveyed in your writing. May God bless you and your family, any may you have a most blessed and Merry Christmas!!!
What a precious story to read this morning! We took twin boys age 16 shopping last night and it was such a blessing to spend time with them. They have so very little, but they know God’s love and forgiveness, which makes them rich! Thank you dear Lidy for sharing the gospel message of Christ!
thank you Lidy for sharing the beautiful story… I have not read it before. And Yes, Miracles do happen,,, every day and this certainly was one. May your Christmas Holidays be Merry and Bright xo
Such a beautiful story, Lidy. Thank you for sharing. Wishing you and your family a beautiful and Merry Christmas and every happiness in the New Year! ?
Lidy, this is a beautiful post and a real miracle. Your confession of faith touched my heart and we all can identify with your words. One sentence will stick with me for a long time…”He is always connected to us and we need to be better connected to Him.” You have been an amazing inspiration to me. The beauty of your work is a gift to your readers. Have a blessed Christmas.
What a beautiful story . Years ago we had a young girl that we got thru a agency , who I felt so connected with .
Went shopping for her and all on her list . Had the opportunity to be a part of her life but didn’t . I often think that little girl . I know that Christmas was great as far as gifts but what about others . When I think of her , I send her good thoughts ?? Thank Lidy for sharing your story God does bless us in so many ways love Chris
What a beautiful post. Thank you for sharing and Merry Christmas to you!
Dear Lidy, I love your story. This Christmas I have been your little girl and have received so many Christmas miracles, I feel so blessed and loved. Our Heavenly Father does know us personally and knows our needs and wants. Because of you I won the contest to receive the plush pumpkins! You were the instrument in the hands of our Lord and I got something that I never could have bought for my self and that I admired so much. Thank you for sharing!
xoxo Jo
Lidy, that little girl will never forget that day and it was no coincidence that you were chosen to shop with her. God works in us and for us all the time, we just don’t pay attention in our busy lives until HE shows us a miracle. You planted wonderful seeds in that little girls heart that day. God will do the work when we plant the seeds. Thanks again for a repeat of His miracle story. JESUS left Heaven with its streets lined with diamonds to be born in human flesh in a stable so that we could be with HIM in Heaven for eternity when we believe that HE shed HIS blood to cleanse us of our sins, past, present and future. Praise HIM!
Brought tears to my eyes. When I was young my family moved from Indiana to Florida. we didn’t have much money that Christmas. My sister and I woke up that morning and we had a tree a small one and we each had a doll and a stocking. My mother cooked dinner on a kerosene stove. My mother never complained and we really didn’t know we were poor. Why? Because we had family, our grandfather had come down with us on the bus. My parents were good people and never tried to be mean to anyone. many years later my husband and I can give our kids and their families almost anything they want. We try to be willing to give to different donations to many places.
Thank you for sharing your family with us. I am blessed to have you read my blog, and call you friend.
Isn’t it so wonderful that we didn’t know we are poor, as children, because we had love? I love your story, and what a testimony to your parents!
xox
So glad you shared this miracle with us. Yes, miracle…I’ve experienced miracles so I know God is real! God is always with us we just need to live for him not the world. Merry Christmas
Thank you for sharing that Lidy. I read every word (with tears in my eyes). Indeed you were blessed with a true Christmas miracle. Thank you for helping us to remember the true spirit of this magical season.
Grateful to call you ami.
Merry, Merry Christmas cher ami.
~Cheryl
Thank you so much for sharing, Lidy. Tis is the kind of Christmas magic we all need. Happy, happy holidays to you and yours!
Tears are trickling down my old wrinkly cheeks as I type this comment. What a truly delightful miracle.
Lidy, may you and yours have a wonderful Christmas and may 2019 be truly fantastic also.
Blessings!
Merry “Christ”mas, Lidy! My sisters-in-Christ call these “God stories”. Even when trying to justify the details…it’s simply impossible…therefore it is God working through His powerful ways to ensure us that He is always, always, near and “working all things for the good” Romans 8:28. Thank you for sharing this God story of inspiration to all of your blog friends, the pictorial made it that much more miraculously magical. May the love of Christ continue to shine through you to the world, Lidy. Christmas and New Year Blessings, Allison
As we look back on some happenings in our lives, we all can certainly say that there have been so many times that we know that “divine intervention” occurred….I can just imagine you having such tears of joy that God answered your prayers and made a little girl so very happy…I am sure that little girl has never forgotten that Christmas when she received that beautiful red dress and God’s many blessings.
Thank you for the gift of that beautiful story Lidy…Merry Christmas to you and your beautiful family!
A sweet beautiful story! May your holidays be filled with many blessings both great & small. Merry Christmas to all!
Hi Lidy,
What a gift you have given to those who have read this, very tender Christmas story! Do believe that God sent his angels to find those whose who care.
Some are given gold, and others are given a heavenly wisdom to recognize the heart’s special needs of others. God’s angels chose you well.
May your quiet footsteps touch many with silent prayers who read your words.
Merry Christmas! Lidy
Thank you for sharing your Christmas miracle story! It was so touching and I had tears all the way through it! What a special Christmas miracle that you were able to experience with her and that she was able to know first hand how much God loves her! He truly is the reason for the season! Thank you again for this lovely Christmas reminder! Have a very blessed and Merry Christmas!
This is such a precious story. Thank you so much for sharing it with us. God truly wants to give us not only our needs but “the desires of our heart”. He knew that sweet red dress would impact her well beyond the immediate receiving of a special gift. I was part of a special miracle years ago when being part of a new church “start” a young family was brought across my path. God told me to empty my wallet of all my cash and slip it in the young mamas purse. I was really sad because I was low on cash and only had 17 dollars. The next week when I saw her at church she knew it was me that had gifted her the money. To make a long story short. They had stopped after church and had lunch at McDonalds. Eating out was something they could just not afford. She then bought her kiddos new clothes and shoes which they needed badly, and then at the end of the week when they had had a flat tire, they realized they had the money to buy 4 new tires. I told her that I had only given her the 17 dollars, but miraculously it had lasted all week. So God had multiplied the 17 dollars by I don’t know how much. It gives me goose bumps thinking about it even now. Bless you Lidy, I hope you and your family have a wonderful Christmas! xo Debra
Oh Debra, isn’t that the way God works? God bless you for listening to the prompting. Merry Christmas!
A Gift Thrice Given- After Mom’s passing, there was little time to clear her apartment. My brother and I separated her things according to ‘family heirlooms’ or ‘donations’. Among the donated items were several dolls Mom had acquired over the years, one of which I had given her years ago during a hospital stay. In subsequent family conversations, it was expressed that a great-grand daughter would like to have one of the dolls. Knowing the items we had donated went to a central location and were then distributed among nine stores in the area, we acted upon the slim chance that we might find at least one of the dolls. The first store (Salvation Army) we chose was very large and already decked in holiday decor. My eyes scanned the display and then rested on a special toy shelf, with the aforementioned doll as the central figure. There was no doubting, as I remembered the precise occasion I had given it to Mom and where the doll had resided in mom’s house throughout the years. The $16 price seemed a bargain, indeed, and as we paid for her, I related the doll’s history to the clerk. Her reply: “God meant it to be”. <3
Linda, thank you for sharing this story! I love that, and what a miracle that must have seemed to you all. Merry Christmas!!
Beautiful, thank you!