A CHRISTMAS STORY

Here is a true story which happened over the Christmas Season a couple of years ago.

A little old lady, obviously very poor, was trying to buy a Christmas ham. The shop was crowded with people pushing each other and calling out to the assistants behind the counter. Several small boys were scrambling around, under everybody's feet.

Unable to shout very loud she hoped to get the attention of one of the clerks by waving. She clutched her worn bag in one hand and waved with the other.....

Finally one of the clerks leaned over the counter. "What for you, lady?"

"One small ham", she said. "The smallest ham you got."

The young man went away and rummaged through the boxes of hams, first weighing one and then weighing another and at length came back with a ham and said, "Eleven dollars and twenty-five cents. Ok?"

The old woman bit her lip. "No. I am sorry. Don't you have anything smaller? I have only ten dollars."

She turned away with a hint of tears in her eyes.

The owner, who was at the cash register during the whole episode, told her to wait and called back the clerk. "It's all right, boy. Give her the ham for ten dollars."

With the ham safely in her shopping bag at her feet the old lady removed a worn ten dollar bill from her cloth purse and handed it to the owner. "God Bless you, sir", she said with a catch in her voice.

"That's all right", the owner said gruffly, a little embarrassed to show his Christmas spirit before the crowd of customers.

Suddenly someone shouted, "Stop that boy," and the old lady realized one of the little boys had grabbed her bag and run away.

He was fast and smart and before anyone could take action he was up Water Lane and gone.

Now the tears really came down the old woman's face and she wailed piteously. And wrung her hands. And started out of the shop.

"Come on boys," someone in the crowd shouted. "Let's help the lady." He waved a dollar in the air. Soon another hand went up and then another. And within a minute the money was collected and paid and another ham, a little larger than the stolen one, was forthcoming from the boxes.

And the owner even gave the little old lady a new bag to carry it in.

Perhaps we haven't all gotten money-mad and cold to the needs of others.

Last week, my wife and I volenteered to serve the noon meal at a local soup kithen, meals for the poor, type place. This was our first time ever doing something like that. As kind of a last minute thing, I had my two boys throw a bunch of their unused toys into a box with the thought that I would drop them off that day. About half way through the meal, I realize that I had left the box of toys in the truck, and ran out to get them. As I was coming back to the building I met a women with her maybe two or three year old son. On a whim, I opened the box, and asked the small boy if he wanted a toy, and he that he could pick out anything he liked. The smile on his face melted my heart, and he took a small Elmo toy from the box and then gave me a hug. His mother had tears in her eyes as she thanked me, and they went on their way.

I've been thinking about that all week, It was such a small thing to do. It cost me absolutely nothing, and yet I know that there is no Ipod or DVD or book under my tree right now that will make me feel as good as I did getting a hug from that three year old boy out there on the sidewalk.

great storys Marty & Sharlamane,I have helped out at a local soup kitchen in Champaign Illinois for 4 years now and it will leave you with an attitude of gratitude every time

I wish everyone would act this way...it's nice hearing about it! Makes you feel good all over....

There but for the grace of God go I. Makes me pray to God everyday that I am thankful for what I do have. Family, Friends, a job and a home to come to.

So right, divingcowgirl. I agree with you completely. I sometimes have to remind myself that the best things in life aren't things.