Unaware of the Blessing Around the Corner

I was walking through the bakery, trying to remember what I might be forgetting when I saw her.

She had shoulder length graying hair and looked to be past 60. Her jawline and facial structure looked like she didn't have many teeth and hadn't for some time. Her joyful smile captured my attention. It was so beautiful. She was surrounded by smaller people, likely her grandkids between the ages of 15 and 7. They were obviously planning something special. I heard her laugh, it was like music to my weary aching heart.

I smiled as I walked on, shooting up a brief prayer asking God to bless them all. I thanked Him for the blessing it brought to my heart to see them all together.

As often happens in the grocery store, they caught my eye a few times more as I wandered the aisles. Each time I smiled, being blessed by watching them, praying blessing over them.

I finally concluded my shopping trip, hoping I landed within my cash budget and saw to my delight they were in line in front of me.

But there appeared to be a problem. The checker was telling her the card she was using wouldn't go through. She was quite polite expressing she had checked the balance earlier in the day and knew it should. She walked away with the kids, grocery cart with celebration supplies left behind.

I was devastated for them. I had watched them pick out items carefully. Finding the best they could with what they had to spend. I rocketed a prayer to Heaven, "Oh Lord, how awful!"

He said it so clearly and so quickly in my heart - YOU bless them.

I looked at the amount, handed my grocery cash to the checker and asked the young girl that bagged their groceries to deliver them.

When that beautiful Grandma turned around with her bunch in genuine surprise to receive the cart, all I could do was blow her a kiss and smile at the gratitude they all expressed with a heartfelt "thank you".

So emotional I could barely speak I pulled my debit card from my purse to pay for my groceries. I knew my Love would understand why I did that, outside of our financial plan. The checker and young girl said thank you to me and I just nodded choking back the tears I would soon let loose in the solitude of the car.

I walked into the store absorbed in my personal struggle and frustrations only to walk out in awe of God's provision for His beloved ones, including me.

Once home, I began crying again and told our sons and my Love the story God's provision for this sweet family and to show their Mommy how much He loves us all. Explaining happy tears is so much easier than talking about the sad ones.

I don't share this to brag, but to encourage. I needed to see beyond my circumstances that night to live what I'm always speaking to our sons, "BE the Blessing!"