SHE STARTLED US.
We pulled into the parking space at our local Walmart, and a simply dressed lady, face weathered beyond her years from stress and sunshine, approached our vehicle even before we could get out. Her pre-teen son held a bouquet of silk flowers. "Could you please help us by buying one of our flowers? We would appreciate anything you can give."
We quickly scoured through our vehicle looking for loose change or dollars. We rarely carry cash, and all we could find between the seats, under the floor-mats, in the ash-tray, and at the bottom of my purse was a measly seventy-four cents. PATHETIC. Our youngest daughter, Sunshine Girl (click HERE to read her other flower story), chimed in from the backseat, "I have a dollar. I want to give them my dollar."
TO AN EIGHT-YEAR-OLD A DOLLAR IS STILL A LOT.
Sunshine Girl had been carrying her dollar around for weeks trying to decide which Dollar Tree item would be worthy enough for her to part with her cash. When she learned of this family's need, she didn't hesitate. She handed me her crumpled dollar, that had been washed and dried at least once, to add to the seventy-four cents we had scrounged. Sunshine Girl gave all she had to give with a giant smile plastered on her face.
"Then a poor widow came and dropped in two small coins. Jesus called his disciples to him and said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions." Mark 12:42-43 NLT
Ironman handed the lady our money, and Sunshine Girl selected a yellow flower to keep. I felt guilty that our family took a flower with such a measly donation, but...
I wanted to allow her be blessed for her gift.
The weathered mother looked at us humbly through her sky blue eyes, "Thank you. We just don't know what to do anymore... thank you."
HONEST-HEARTFELT THANKS FOR A DOLLAR AND SOME CHANGE...
A DOLLAR...
AND SOME CHANGE...
Ironman went into the store to pick up the few items we needed. I sat in the car with our kids thinking about the mama and her son. My thoughts drifted on the reality of our own lives, and how we could have easily been in her situation more than once. Ministry has not been kind to us. Several years ago, we experienced being forced from a thriving ministry we loved which left us instantly jobless with a child on the way. We've most recently experienced the utter exhaustion that comes from carrying people for years, and giving too much for too long. These things, and many things in between, have left us on the brink more than once. If it wasn't for my gracious parents we could have been in this mother's shoes... twice. I swallowed hard and fought tears. We have been shown much grace.
GRACE...
I imagined the mom and her boy sitting in their humble home- worried about where the next meal was coming from... worried about paying rent... worried about medicine, electricity, clothes, dignity.
DIGNITY...
Perhaps they spent their last few dollars buying ball-point pens, florist's tape, and silk flowers in hopes of making something people would want to purchase. If they could sell the flower pens, it wouldn't be the same as taking a hand-out. People might see their hearts, listen to their story, and know they were trying. Maybe this was the only way they knew how to feel human in the midst of desperation?
TO THE LADY AND HER SON, THE BOUQUET OF FLOWERS WAS EVERYTHING.
They put their hope in the flowers that probably cost them all they had. They trusted that by selling the flowers, their faithful investment would multiply. Each flower was constructed with a prayer that their gaping need would somehow be filled.
I texted Ironman emphatically and told him that we had to do something more. I watched the soft-spoken mother go from car to car. The bouquet was steadily shrinking. I worried that Ironman wouldn't return before they left the parking lot, so I texted him again, "Hurry!"
Just in time, Ironman appeared with two burgers and two cokes. I jumped out of the car and took dinner to the mother and her son. I slipped a bill into her hand. As she was reaching to give me change, I turned and walked away. She called out to me, "God bless you." Her voice cracked, and her blue eyes filled with tears, "Jesus bless you." I turned to her and said, "He has... through you. Jesus bless YOU."
I asked Sunshine Girl if I could borrow her flower pen for a little while. She, of course, said yes. It's sitting in a special basket on a shelf in my room as a reminder. When I look at it, I can't help but think of all the ways we are blessed. We are surrounded by the love of family, and friends that are truly family. Every single one of our needs is, and has been cared for. We may not be rich with monetary wealth, but we are overflowing with abundance in riches that really matter. The flower reminds me of the cost one family paid to scrape by. One dollar and seventy-four cents, two burgers, two cokes, a bill, and some prayers wasn't nearly enough to pay for the costly flower.
SHE STARTLED US.
...and I am grateful!
"Feed the hungry, and help those in trouble. Then your light will shine
out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as
noon." Isaiah 58:10
