INSPIRASUNS

I’ve mentioned our annual Christmas Market in this little blog over the last few months. It’s a big event at our church, taking place this weekend, and I’m head of our “Gourmet Canners”. If you had told me five years ago that I would be heading a canning committee at church I probably would have laughed and said, “Ya, right”. Well, here I am, and I’ve learned so much, met some amazing people and hey, I can hold my own with the best of ’em now 🙂 !

Anyway, back to the market. In addition to our homemade jams, jellies, and other goodies, our church also showcases our “Golden Mouse”. Our little thrift store will put out the higher-end gently used items donated by parishioners and the community. It’s always a beautifully decorated room with many nice items for sale. I stopped into the mouse the other day and some gorgeous coats had been donated. I of course didn’t need one of these, living in SW Florida these days. However, there are still many who make trips back up north in the winter so I could see why someone may buy them.

Well, not long after I made that trip to the mouse I got a phone call from a gentleman. He actually wanted to buy one of those coats for his wife as a surprise for her birthday. She had seen the coat a few weeks before and fell in love with it. He asked if I could set it aside for him and he would come by to get it. He just didn’t want it to get sold this weekend before he could arrive. So I put the coat in a nice bag in my office.

Yesterday he came by to pick it up and was so excited about the gift he was going to give. He said that his wife had sold all of her warm coats when they moved here. They were indeed heading north for Christmas this year, and it’s been so cold where their kids live he knew she would need something warm. He mentioned to me, “I just have to keep this surprise for a few more weeks, (her birthday is at the end of the month), she’ll be so excited”. It was so heartwarming to see how this gentleman was genuinely excited about getting a gift for his wife. They have been married a very long time, but the love they share is so visible.

We need more of this in our world today I think. Little surprises that light up the world of those we love. Small gestures to make someone smile. What about a hand written card to say thank you, not just a text message. Yes my friends, let’s take more time to surprise those around us, to make their days and lives better. Christmas is coming, what a great time to get back to those little surprises 🙂 .

Have a great day my friends!

1 John 4:16
So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.