It was such a peaceful and restful day walking around Edwards and Vail Colorado. There we were, Steve and I, enjoying our short “get away” for a few days up in the Colorado mountains while our adult children “manned” the house back home.

We decided to pop in to the local grocery store for milk some fruit, cereal, bread and salad fixings to take back to our condo and I said that I’d just run in quickly while Steve waited in the car outside.

I gathered my items and made my way to the register.

There in line in front of me was a young woman who had her items on the conveyor belt. My heart was “drawn” to her as I noticed the “bump” of a new baby beginning to show through her tunic top. I also noticed that she had a box of toddler diapers in her purchases and guessed that there was also another young child in the family.

As the clerk rang up the young woman’s items she told her that she would also have to pay 30¢ additional for each sack that the groceries would go into due to new policies in this specific City’s ordinances in the mountains.

The young woman was shocked about the policy and opened her wallet to dig for additional change. She had cash in her hand which I am sure she had calculated for her meager purchases.

And then, that “Persistent Voice” nudged me further. I saw the embarrassment of this young woman, the impatience of the clerk, and the rather “cranky” older man who was bagging items getting frustrated as the young mother searched for coins for the bag fees.

All I had in my hand was $60.00 in cash to cover the items I had decided to get, knowing a few grandchildren would be coming to join us the next day and snacks were needed!

However…. I knew this young Mother needed encouragement and a kind person to help ease the rough moment. The line behind me was growing and the pressure for this pregnant mother was a bit much.

Gently, while she was digging for coins, I handed one of my $20.00 bills to the clerk and asked her to use it to bless the young mother and that I wanted to pay for the big box of diapers. (I wanted to pay for everything, but again, that “Persistent Voice” simply whispered to “buy the diapers”.)

The clerk asked me why would I do such a thing! Oh! What a moment it was! I turned to the young mother and said loud enough for those in the long line who were watching and listening in, “Because when I was a young Mother, someone else helped me at a cash register when I was tired, pregnant with my second child, and short on change. I simply want to return the Blessing!”

It got very quiet… The young woman began to cry and tried to pull herself together. The cranky older man said, “Well! I Never!”

Gently, I told the young mother that I was moved with compassion by the Heavenly Father to help her. She smiled at me through her tears and then told me that she and her husband were in this mountain area leading a missionary ministry group. They had come from California. Oh what a joy to tell her that I was a Mother, a Minister and had done lots of Missionary ministry as well!

As she finalized her payment and her extra change was handed back to her, we smiled at each other with a love and grace that goes with knowing the role of being a Mother and a minister who trusts God to provide for your every need.

I gently told her that I felt I was to tell her that truly, the LORD wanted her to know that He was going to take care of everything she and her family would need. And, the most precious part of it for me was that as a Mother and Grandmother, I got to buy diapers for them.

I love….. the “seemingly” random moments in life where God does His most precious acts of mercy and kindness.

Keep your eyes and heart open.. You might just be “randomly” called upon to bless someone tomorrow!

“Do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is so pleased,” Hebrews 13:16.

 

In His Shadow,
~ Mary Lindow ^©

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” THE MESSENGER ” ~ Mary Lindow
www.marylindow.com
Global Prayer Rooms

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Mary Lindow has a passion for encouraging others – all generations, careers or vocations to live expressing excellence through personal integrity, healthy accountability, and wise management of talents and skills. She’s a sought after keynote, inspirational, humorous speaker and teacher across the USA and internationally in Ministers & Spiritual leaders Conferences, and training seminars for various organizations.

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