Joy #18

So remember yesterday when I wrote about those two beautiful ladies who surprised me, and I told you I would tell you, as Paul Harvey would say, "The rest of the story." Well here goes. Please know that this is something that is pretty special to me, and I debated whether or not to share it on the blog at all. But it has a good message, and in the end I decided that it might help other people too, so I am going to. (I hope that's alright with you Shanna...)

So after getting the nativity I wrote an e-mail to Shanna telling her thanks, and just how special it was to me. She wrote back with this:

"I wanted to tell you the story of that nativity, but I wanted you to

open it first. :) I was at a craft show, and I saw these. I collect
nativities, so I am always interested in them. I was looking at it,
and the sign said that they do a ministry in Africa, then sell these
different items made there to raise money for the ministry. It was
interesting to me, but I just didn't need or really even want a new
nativity. Which is strange, because I ALWAYS want a new one! :)
Anyway, I went ahead and bought it, but all the way home and even at
home I just didn't know what to do with it or why I bought it. I
didn't unwrap it or put it out- I just didn't seem to care about it,
so I was thinking it was such a mistake to have bought it. Well,
later that night I was checking blogs, and I hadn't read yours in a
while. I scrolled down several posts, and stopped on the one where
you talked about having to leave your nativities behind. It hit me
like a ton of bricks, and I KNEW exactly why I had bought that
nativity! I couldn't wait to send it to you. I know it isn't much in
comparison to all you have lost, but to me it just felt like Heavenly
Father was mindful of you and was able to use me to let you know in a
small way that He loves you."

(By the way, it is a lot in comparison to what I lost. It means so much to me, much more than most of those other ones because of the love behind it. )

Doesn't that give you chills? It does me. For a couple of reasons. One, Heavenly Father knows each of us and loves us and wants us to know that. And two, He sometimes uses other people to help us know that He loves us. And Shanna was one of those people that He trusted to do His work for Him. (And I think Tawna was too.) AND THEY LISTENED! That part makes me cry, and blows me away all in one shot. How lucky I am that they listened to the promptings of the spirit, because what a difference it made in my life. So that's my joy for today. Heavenly Father loves me, and my friends are amazing. What more could you ask for?