Unexpected blessings. My family and I have been on the receiving end of them lately. Does that sound as if I'm bragging? I certainly don't mean to...its just that I don't know any other way to say it than to just....well....say it.
And so I did. And we have been surprised with several unexpected blessings here of late. It all began two Saturdays ago. The kids and I were shopping for shoes. At least, we were shopping for Shaun some shoes. We were on the way to church that morning when he observed that his "very favorite shoes" were beginning to show some signs of wear and tear. In other words, one of his shoes had a hole in the sole. Yes, he has more than one pair of shoes, but this was his "very favorite" pair. The pair he's worn almost every day since July. So I decided he deserved another pair.
Into the shoe store we went. Straight back to the boys' section. While we were looking, Jordan happened across a pair of Yoda bedroom slippers. Of course, he tried them on and of course, he asked for them. And of course, I had to give him the old standby answer of "not today", which translates into "I'm so sorry honey, but your parents are kind of broke right now and really do not have twenty extra dollars to spend on bedroom slippers". I actually didn't feel too awfully bad about turning him down, as he had just gotten a new pair of shoes himself the week before. And he took the let-down very well. He asked if he could just please wear the slippers inside the store. So I said okay, hoping to get out of there quickly.
I was helping Shaun try on a pair of shoes when a woman walked by and began talking to Jordan, telling how cool those Yoda shoes were. My little Jordan just looked up at her and explained that we weren't getting them today. Just like that. Was I ever proud! No pouting, crying, or whining. The mystery woman smiled at me and asked Jordan if she could see the shoes. I agreed, telling him that she could put them back where they belonged. And, much to my surprise, Jordan handed over the shoes. I continued to help Shaun find a pair in his size and was getting ready to head to the check-out counter when mystery woman popped up beside us again, this time with a bag in her hand. A bag containing...the Yoda shoes. She gave the bag to Jordan, wished him a Happy Valentines Day, and skipped off to the back of the store where her children were waiting.
It took me a minute to realize what had happened. When I finally came to my senses, I told Jordan to go give her a hug. He jumped into her arms saying "thank you, thank you!" while I locked eyes with the sweet woman and mouthed the same thing. Then, we again made our way to the check-out counter where the cashier informed me that the whole store was having a sale: buy one pair, get another for half off. So we set off down the aisles again. The store had absolutely nothing in Jordan's size (besides Yoda shoes!) so I headed to my section. While I was browsing, mystery woman showed up again. Asked if she could talk to me and motioned for me to walk a few steps away from my kids. When we were alone, she pushed something in my hand and said:
"God told me to give this to you. Don't look at it. But I want you to take it and spend it on yourself. God told me that you need some encouragement. Bless you."
Of course I started to cry. I somehow managed to say "Thank you...I really did need some encouragement today". And, oh, how I did! I was coming out of a week that left a lot to be desired. Mystery woman blessed me one more time and then skipped away again.
I paid for our shoes and then went out to the car before I finally looked at what was in my hand. $100.
The kids and I prayed for this sweet woman of God right there in the parking lot. For God to bless her for blessing us. I had never seen her before, but I hope someday we meet again. I'd love to hug her neck and tell her exactly how much she did encourage me that day. Not only with the shoes and the money, but with her joy, which simply radiated off her. For allowing God to minister to me through her obedience.
I'll never, ever forget her and I pray that one day God will use me in the same way.
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