It was
only
four
days
before
Christmas.
The
spirit
of the
season
hadn't
yet
caught
up
with
me,
even
though
cars
packed
the
parking
lot of
our
local
discount
store.
Inside
the
store,
it was
worse.
Shopping
carts
and
last
minute
shoppers
jammed
the
aisles.
Why
did I
come
today?
I
wondered.
My
feet
ached
almost
as
much
as my
head.
My
list
contained
names
of
several
people
who
claimed
they
wanted
nothing
but I
knew
their
feelings
would
be
hurt
if I
didn't
buy
them
anything.
Buying
for
someone
who
had
everything
and
deploring
the
high
cost
of
items,
I
considered
gift-buying
anything
but
fun.
Hurriedly,
I
filled
my
shopping
cart
with
last
minute
items
and
proceeded
to the
long
checkout
lines.
I
picked
the
shortest
but it
looked
as if
it
would
mean
at
least
a 20
minute
wait.
In
front
of me
were
two
small
children-a
boy of
about
5 and
a
younger
girl...the
boy
wore a
ragged
coat.
Enormously
large,
tattered
tennis
shoes
jutted
far
out in
front
of his
much
too
short
jeans.
He
clutched
several
crumpled
dollar
bills
in his
grimy
hands.
The
girl's
clothing
resembled
her
brother's.
Her
head
was a
matted
mass
of
curly
hair.
Reminders
of an
evening
meal
showed
on her
small
face.
She
carried
a
beautiful
pair
of
shiny,
gold
house
slippers.
As the
Christmas
music
sounded
in the
store's
stereo
system,
the
girl
hummed
along,
off-key
but
happily.
When
we
finally
approached
the
checkout
register,
the
girl
carefully
placed
the
shoes
on the
counter.
She
treated
them
as
though
they
were a
treasure.
The
clerk
rang
up the
bill.
"That
will
be
$6.09,"
she
said.
The
boy
laid
his
crumpled
dollars
atop
the
stand
while
he
searched
his
pockets.
He
finally
came
up
with
$3.12...
"I
guess
we
will
have
to put
them
back,
" he
bravely
said.
"We
will
come
back
some
other
time,
maybe
tomorrow."
With
that
statement,
a soft
sob
broke
from
the
little
girl.
"But
Jesus
would
have
loved
these
shoes,
" she
cried.
"Well,
we'll
go
home
and
work
some
more.
Don't
cry.
We'll
come
back,"
he
said.
Quickly
I
handed
$3.00
to the
cashier.
These
children
had
waited
in
line
for a
long
time.
And,
after
all,
it was
Christmas.
Suddenly
a pair
of
arms
came
around
me and
a
small
voice
said,
"Thank
you
lady."
"What
did
you
mean
when
you
said
Jesus
would
like
the
shoes?"
I
asked.
The
boy
answered,
"Our
mommy
is
sick
and
going
to
heaven.
Daddy
said
she
might
go
before
Christmas
to be
with
Jesus."
The
girl
spoke,
"My
Sunday
school
teacher
said
the
streets
in
heaven
are
shiny
gold,
just
like
these
shoes.
Won't
mommy
be
beautiful
walking
on
those
streets
to
match
these
shoes?"
My
eyes
flooded
as I
looked
into
her
tear
streaked
face.
"Yes,"
I
answered,
"I am
sure
she
will."
Silently
I
thanked
God
for
using
these
children
to
remind
me of
the
true
spirit
of
giving."
Author
Unknown