Christmas Random Acts of Kindness - QUILTS OF LOVE

Every year I am sent a wonderful email from one of my wholesalers wishing us all a merry Christmas there is always a message/story in that email that invokes in me a wondrous feeling, and this year Deb hasn't failed to share again and started off my tears that I knew would come with writing this post. But I am not sure if it is her message alone or the fact that we are all a little more emotional this year, praying and hoping that we make it through Christmas as the family we are and not missing that extra special one of us that is ill, but it could also be from my sharing in the Quilts of Love that I will share with you at the end of Deb's story.

Here is Deb's story just food for thought for you.

Bobby was getting cold sitting out in his back yard in the snow.  Bobby didn't wear boots; he didn't like them and anyway he didn't own any.  The thin sneakers he wore had a few holes in them and they did a poor job of keeping out the cold. Bobby had been in his backyard for about an hour already. And, try as he might, he could not come up with an idea for his mother's Christmas gift. He shook his head as he thought, "This is useless, even if I do come up with an idea, I don't have any money to spend. Ever since his father had passed away three years ago, the family of five had struggled. It wasn't because his mother didn't care, or try, there just never seemed to be enough. She worked nights at the hospital, but the small wage that she was earning could only be stretched so far. What the family lacked in money and material things, they more than made up for in love and family unity. Bobby had two older and one younger sister, who ran the household in their mother's absence. All three of his sisters had already made beautiful gifts for their mother. Somehow it just wasn't fair. Here it was Christmas Eve already, and he had nothing. Wiping a tear from his eye, Bobby kicked the snow and started to walk down to the street where the shops and stores were. It wasn't easy being six without a father, especially when he needed a man to talk to. Bobby walked from shop to shop, looking into each decorated window. Everything seemed so beautiful and so out of reach. It was starting to get dark and Bobby reluctantly turned to walk home when suddenly his eyes caught the glimmer of the setting sun's rays reflecting off of something along the curb. He reached down and discovered a shiny dime. Never before has anyone felt so wealthy as Bobby felt at that moment. As he held his new found treasure, a warmth spread throughout his entire body and he walked into the first store he saw. His excitement quickly turned cold when salesperson after salesperson told him that he could not buy anything with only a dime. He saw a flower shop and went inside to wait in line. When the shop owner asked if he could help him, Bobby presented the dime and asked if he could buy one flower for his mother's Christmas gift. The shop owner looked at Bobby and his ten cent offering. Then he put his hand on Bobby's shoulder and said to him, "You just wait here and I'll see what I can do for you." As Bobby waited, he looked at the beautiful flowers and even though he was a boy,he could see why mothers and girls liked flowers. The sound of the door closing as the last customer left, jolted Bobby back to reality. All alone in the shop, Bobby began to feel alone and afraid. Suddenly the shop owner came out and moved to the counter. There, before Bobby's eyes, lay twelve long stem, red roses, with leaves of green and tiny white flowers all tied together with a big silver bow. Bobby's heart sank as the owner picked them up and placed them gently into a long white box.

"That will be ten cents young man," the shop owner said reaching out his hand for the dime. Slowly, Bobby moved his hand to give the man his dime. Could this be true? No one else would give him a thing for his dime! Sensing the boy's reluctance, the shop owner added, "I just happened to have some roses on sale for ten cents a dozen. Would you like them?" This time Bobby did not hesitate, and when the man placed the long box into his hands, he knew it was true. Walking out the door that the owner was holding for Bobby, he heard the shop keeper say, "Merry Christmas, son." As he returned inside, the shop keepers wife walked out. "Who were you talking to back there and where are the roses you were fixing?" Staring out the window, and blinking the tears from his own eyes, he replied,"A strange thing happened to me this morning. While I was setting up things to open the shop, I thought I heard a voice telling me to set aside a dozen of my best roses for a special gift. I wasn't sure at the time whether I had lost my mind or what, but I set them aside anyway. Then just a few minutes ago, a little boy came into the shop and wanted to buy a flower for his mother with one small dime. When I looked at him, I saw myself, I too was a poor boy many years ago. When I saw that little boy tonight, I knew who that voice was, and I put together a dozen of my very best roses."

Maybe this Christmas, or for a while now, you have heard a still small voice quietly telling you something.

Will you listen and obey? Or just sweep it aside thinking that you are crazy like this man thought at the time.

Sometimes we don't understand the bigger picture of what is happening when we are asked to give. But rest assured if you obey and listen to that small soft whisper ....all in time ....will be revealed to you.

So if you are still with me, I had planned to post about my Quilts of Love today anyway, but felt that it went with the story above so perfectly it just had to be in the one post.

Now Quilts of love came about when we told the sad news of Al's Cancer being Terminal to the Monday Sewing Group I attend, the ladies were like most of us devastated, and instantly asked what they could do to help. Having helped out on a quilt once before I thought that as we all stitched it would be a wonderful thing to make for Al, and the ladies were very enthused, with such a great response of stitched hearts. It was decided that we would make this an ongoing project and not just for Al but for anyone we Knew who just needed a little extra love in their lives at the moment.

 So over the passed 2 months the group of 12-15 ladies have each stitched many hearts of love and Mum and I have sewn them into 3 quilts, that Ev has hand Quilted and we have labelled them and bound them and yesterday over our special Christmas Lunch we handed them out. My sister has received 2 quilts, so that both her girls will have a special memento of their dad once he has passed on. And the other quilt went to a special lady in our groups grandson who has Cerebral Palsy but isn't doing very well at the moment either. We hope that these special quilts give those that  sleep under them an extra hug of love.

 

But this story also reminded me that each year during the mad Christmas season, because I have worked in retail, I understand the hard work put in by the wondrous retail staff, and the huffy customers they have to deal with, so when I am doing my shopping I do it with a smile and always a small little gift, be it a choccy or a flower, so that when I make my purchase I wish the sales assistant a merry Christmas and hope that it makes there day a little easier having served at least one customer that appreciates their hard work.

So this Christmas don't be a bah humbug at the checkout, think about the long hours and the many customers that poor sales assistant has served during this crazy time and perhaps you too can purchase an extra little something to leave at the register to make them smile and may the giving you give this Christmas truly bless you all, remember after all it really is a season for giving.