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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36 comments
Beautiful, thank you!
Linda, thank you for sharing this story! I love that, and what a miracle that must have seemed to you all. Merry Christmas!!
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
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
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!
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
A sweet beautiful story! May your holidays be filled with many blessings both great & small. Merry Christmas to all!
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!
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