What was the best Christmas gift that you have ever received? Was it something that you still cherish today or is it just a memory of a Christmas from long, long ago? I know as a child growing up I received some really nice Christmas gifts that I truly enjoyed. I remember a finger paint set I got once when I was 5 years old. I had so much fun with it, too. Where is it now? I don't know. It was long gone once all the paper and paint were used. It was just temporary happiness. As all the material gifts we receive at Christmas time.
This year I received the best Christmas gift ever. It wasn't something material but something very special. Something I know I will cherish the rest of my life.
It all started a few weeks before Christmas. I was on my way home from a long day at work. I had no plans for the evening but Johnerick was in my neighborhood so we decided to have a nice dinner together at Golden Corral. It started off as a pretty normal dinner. We enjoyed our buffet, conversation, and fellowship. At the end of dinner, we both had realized that we had no cash to tip our waiter. We could have easily just eaten and run without tipping the waiter. He may or may not have noticed. But we felt bad. We had nothing to give him. Not even a penny. So we told him on his next day at work we would stop by and not only tip him for that day's service but also for this evening's service. We had vowed to come back and double tip him for his service. He was not expecting us to come back. But being a woman who is true to her word and a devout Catholic I knew I couldn't just eat and not come back. So Johnerick and I made plans to return that following Friday to give Henry (our waiter) what he deserves. So enter the following Friday. Johnerick and I had every intention of returning. And we did. Both of us with cash to properly tip Henry. When we got there we immediately asked about Henry. We were hoping he was there as he said he would. We wanted to sit in his section so that we could not only tip him for Friday's service but also Wednesday. When he saw us there he was just speechless. He wasn't expecting us to return but being people who are true their word we came back. He led us to our table and we had a nice dinner. He came up to us and talked with us a few times as a good waiter should. And out of the blue I made a suggestion I didn't know how he would take it. Being a devout Catholic (and Johnerick a devout Christian) I asked if and when Henry had a free moment I wanted to pray with him. I have never made such an offer in public before but I have felt more inclined to do things like that when I am so moved by the Spirit to do so. I wasn't sure how he'd take it or if he'd even sit with us. But a little while later Henry came and sat with us. So I bowed my head and prayed. I prayed thanking God for Henry and the service he does at work for his customers. I prayed thanking God for allowing Henry to be touched by us. I prayed for blessings for him and his family. After we were done praying, Henry again was speechless. He told us that twice in the same night was he rendered speechless by us. He said never before has he had someone offer to pray for him. He said the prayer was so beautiful. He was so touched. He even told us that a great weight had been lifted off his shoulders. I knew we had done a good deed. I told Henry to pass it on. To share it with others. I know that even if he didn't even if it was just for that one night Henry was a changed man. We opened his eyes to a new experience. Johnerick and I walked out of there changed forever. We knew we had made a difference in his life.
How amazing God used us at that moment to minister to Henry. How amazing that God allowed us to touch Henry on that day. This was and is the best Christmas present ever given AND received. Not only did Henry receive monetary tips but also spiritual ones. I am lucky to have had this experience.
I hope that you too can make the difference in some one's life. It can change the hearts of many.
God bless you this Christmas season and always.
3 comments:
Here is the comment I left on Johnerick's blog on Facebook about the same experience:
He was more than double-tipped. His eyes were opened to awesome power of God. He was given a tip that no money could provide. He was given a sense of peace (as he had said...a weight had been lifted) that he had never known before. It was God truly using as His instruments. I thank you for joining me in prayer with our new friend. I thank you for such an amazing experience tonight. I could not have asked for a better friend than you to have shared that experience with. We give thanks to God for such an opportunity.
wow what a great post!! amen and amen!! God bless u so much!! hope uve had a great Christmas and i wish you an amazing new year :)
blessings!
Thanks Maria! It was an amazing day. It is a day I will NEVER forget. Johnerick and I were blessed abundantly for that deed. We did exactly as God has asked us to do as Christians. I hope and pray that all Christians can be that bold in their faith to do the same thing when the opportunity comes along. Never before had anyone offered to do that for Henry. We were the first. And we made a difference. Go out and do the same.
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