Who Knew? Christmas Miracles of the Present Time

Not so long ago during the bustling Christmas season (you know...the one with the dead economy), my husband and I pulled up to a pump at the Monster Club Store behind another car who was finishing up his business. However, we chose not to pull up to the vacated pump space. Next thing I hear a couple of well-modulated signals from a giant ruby-red Ford Clubcab with a young woman driving. She pulled carefully past us and backed up into the vacated spot. She had sounded her z's because I was sitting with my door wide open and I am sure she was concerned about something disastrous happening to our car.

From behind the driver's side a tall, strawberry blond young woman stepped out, emptied a child's fast food drink, and returned it to the cab. Then with a look that indicated she had just about had enough of the kids for the day, she earnestly began instructing the little passengers about what was going to happen if they "DIDN'T CALM DOWN!" Never mind they each had an individual video screen dropped down for their amusement.

She began pumping her gas, leaning against the truck, trying to relax her very tired body. As I watched her I began thinking she looked like she was with child again. When she started massaging her neck and temples, I diagnosed (from a distance) she had a whizbang headache on top of everything else.

As I was just the passenger in our car, I had the opportunity to reflect on when our three were little, and what craziness ensued in the waning days of the "Season". (Sort of explained to me while our yearly bottle of brandy suddenly began getting less full. Hmmmmm?!?!?)

I shot up a serious prayer for blessings on her with enough energy to ge through the season. I could really relate. Aha! I had an idea! I had just loaded up on a supply of APC's Christmas CD's entitled "The Gift." We had begun to slowly drive away from the pump and I said to Jeff, "Here, please take this CD, and run it back to her. She looks like she could use it." After returning from the good deed, he said at first she was befuddled and asked, "Why me? Why did you give it to me?"

Jeff replied, "First of all, because my wife told me to. She said you looked like you had a long day, were really tired, and had a headache to boot, and with children caught up in the pre-Christmas excitement. This CD has some really good Christmas music with might help you get home in one piece."

She stopped for a moment to consider it all, smiled a big smile, then said, "Thank you, Merry Christmas."

On leaving the parking lot, we were in the left turn lane, and she was in the right turn lane. She caught my eye, mouthed a "thank you", and with a radiant smile she and her crewe were gone off to the east.

Wow! What a rush of feeling I had. I have never done anything like this before, but this was so cool! I was truly blessed. Sharing my faith with a total stranger, and being around to see some of the difference it made. I feel so jazzed I am ready to do it again. Of course, it won't take too long to go through my current supply of CD's. However, if they all work this well, we may have to make more!

You know, this experience makes me wonder if Mary ever had days like these. [Submitted by Amazing Grace Lowry, dutifully typed by JS]