I completely forgot this happened last year. I didn’t remember even writing about it. It’s been one of those years… I haven’t had the time or energy to write ANYTHING lately.
But I needed to read this today…
To remind myself for what really matters.
—————-
Today I was running around trying to get all my Christmas shopping and stuff done before the stores closed…
I was Super stressed out running around like a chicken with my head cut off.
There was nowhere to park. The stores were packed. The credit card machines were all not functioning. Like AT ALL! You couldn’t make credit card/debit purchases.
I hadn’t gotten all my Christmas shopping done. Frankly, I hadn’t done much shopping at ALL yet.
We were hosting a Christmas Party that night. Do we have everything we need? Is the house spotless? Should I take the kids somewhere so Mama can clean?
All these thoughts were running through my head, as I was pulling out of the grocery store when Jonny asked me, “Daddy, can we stop and go pay for somebody’s coffee?”
It stopped me in my tracks.
I was so hyper-focused on all the things I had to get done, I had forgotten the whole reason we do it.
It is the season of giving.
So many times we get caught up in the hustle and bustle, we forget that.
And a little boy reminded me of the spirit behind it all.
My little boy.
So off we went.
We bought some coffee and and a $5 gift card.
I gave the gift card to Jonny and told him he could bless whoever he wanted with it.
So Jonny walked over to the next person who walked in the door and gave him the gift card.
He was a total stranger. Jonny didn’t even hesitate.
My son who struggles with anxiety and fear walked right over to a complete stranger and blessed his socks off.
The gentleman looked utterly confused.
So I explained how Jonny just wanted to pay for someone’s coffee, and that it was just a $5 gift card for him. No strings attached.
Then, this total stranger got a huge grin, thanked us, and wished us a Merry Christmas.
And then we went home.
When Jonny looks back at Christmastime when he was a kid, I don’t care if he remember the presents. I don’t care if he remembers the trees or the lights, or even the Christmas Dinners.
I hope he remembers this.
Going with Daddy to a coffee shop just to bless a complete stranger.
I hope he always remembers that Christmas is so much more than opening presents, or seeing family or driving to see the lights.
I hope he remembers that the most important thing about Christmas is to BE the light to somebody else.