It is in giving that we receive

My goodness!  All weekend I was thinking of posting about my trip to the grocery store last Friday, and I never got around to doing it.  Today, I logged on to see that I was a featured blogger for my friend, Danielle, at My Life in Jenga for her Sunday blog hop, Swing by Sunday.  If only I had updated my blog!  Well, here goes...
With the holidays fast approaching, everyone's in need of donations to help those in need.  My daughter's band director e-mailed a list of needed items for Thanksgiving baskets.  On Friday I needed cash to purchase tickets to the high school playoff game so I stopped by the grocery store near my house.  At this particular store you can get cash back in any amount, not just increments of $20.  I went down the baking aisle since I needed a cake mix anyway and noticed apple pie filling was on sale, too.  I added a can to my basket since that was one of the items on the band director's list.  When I went to check out, the pie filling rang up regular price instead of the sale price.  It was only 20 cents difference, but 20 cents is 20 cents, right?  I didn't want to hold up the line, so I completed the transaction, paid for my things, doubled back down the baking aisle to make sure I hadn't read the sign wrong, and finally skipped over to customer service where there was no line.  I explained the mix-up, and the customer service rep went to check for herself.  Sure enough she brought back the tag and refunded my money--not just the 20 cents, but the full amount for the pie filling.  I tried to explain that I still wanted the pie filling, and she explained that if it rings up the wrong price then it's free!  Woo-hoo, score one for Team Charity. 
This experience reminded me of my cousin who had a minor "accident" in her new car when she skipped school one day.  The only words she could remember as she tried to figure out how she was going to explain this to her parents was her father telling her, "When you do bad things, bad things happen."  Well, I just want to put a different spin on that phrase, "When you do good things, good things happen."
My next trip to the grocery store I picked up a couple canned vegetables and instant mashed potatoes to go in the baskets as well.  Times have been very tight this year as I finished my schooling without working.  I came pretty close to needing one of those baskets myself!  I think it is oh so important to give what you can when you can to help another because you just never know when you may be the one in need.  God is so good-my family and I haven't gone hungry yet!

Speaking of hungry...I am so sorry about the candy corn cookie recipe I have been meaning to post.  I started the post but have been having technical difficulties with my computer at home, so I haven't finished the post.  In the meantime, you can check out the Land O' Lakes site where I found the recipe (click <here>).  I made them for Halloween, but they'll be cute for your Thanksgiving table, too.

Christmas Angels

Yesterday I received an email with a one hundred dollar bill waving on it like a flag in the wind. It was a "money angel" and I was encouraged to send it to 6 friends/family and get rich in 4 days or send it to 12 and be rich in 2 days. The punishment of deleting it was being left to beg (as if I haven't had to do my fair share of that since nursing school began *smile*). Anyway, I sent it on to 6 friends/family members and waited for my "unexpected windfall" but figured no matter what happened, at least I might not have to beg for a while. I replied to the sender to ask if she thought I could get rich in 20 minutes if I sent the money angel to 72 people, but I didn't hear back from her. I went on about my business the rest of the day. When I went to the mailbox that same afternoon I pulled out the usual junk mail and a few Christmas cards. I love the holidays because they're about the only time of year I get mail other than ads and bills. One envelope had my name on the front but no address or return address. Not recognizing the handwriting, I eagerly opened it to see who had hand-delivered something. It was a thank you note from the mother of one of my son's friends. I had given her son a ride home from school a few times these past couple of weeks when the weather was cold and wet. I figured it was the least I could do. The mom had thanked me further by enclosing a $20 bill in the card. I immediately thought of the money angel and thought about how God always makes a way. Here I'm wondering how I'm going to pay my mortgage and taxes and auto insurance and provide a little something for A & A for Christmas, too. $20 may not sound like a lot, but it doesn't have to be. It was $20 more than I had that morning and it came to me totally unexpected. On Sunday I had given a friend in dire straights $20 that I really didn't have to give to put gas in their car, and now I got it back. It truly is in giving that we receive.
This morning I received a phone call from another special person who said she wanted to help me get some things for the kids for Christmas. She explained that she and her friend usually choose angels from the tree in the mall, but they would rather do something for someone they know personally. So, my kids became their angels. I have to ask who are the real angels here? Now, my kiddoes will have something under their own tree to open on Christmas morning. I just thank God for my Christmas Angels as well...they are an answer to prayers. I hope that someone reading this will acknowledge the hand of God at work in all of this...the ultimate money angel amongst many other things. Good night. Until next time...