Never forget those eyes...

I've been going through a bit of a blogger blah.  I have several posts that I have started and for what ever reason I haven't been able to finish.  Perhaps a little bit of the winter blues?

Part of the reason is that we are in the midst of Baby Step #2 and while we are plugging away at our debt snowball I don't really feel like we are accomplishing much ... or what we are accomplishing doesn't deserve a blog shout out.

I think God is reminding me that even in the slow and steady parts of life that something is happening.  This whole process will take several years.  We often dream of the day when we will be free to bless others with our money.

And that is a blessing that we felt last night.

I just finished writing about how our business, Turkey Bottom Haven, is expanding.  Well, part of expanding our business is needing materials to build our shelves.  In order for our budget to work we have to use our blow money and Christmas money to buy materials.  We are more than willing to do that, though we anxiously await the day when we start selling them so we can have our pocket money back!! :)

Last night we headed to Independence to go to the lumber yard.  We bought the extra lumber we needed and headed to Walmart for paint.  Of course while we were at Walmart we thought of several other items that we needed.  So into the cart went 5 gallons of milk, 3 lbs of butter, shampoo, conditioner, chicken breasts, cheese and so on and so on.  Why does this always happen when you walk into that store?

The paint was coming out of my blow fund.  So I paid for it first.  While standing in line the lady behind us kept making eye contact with us and smiling.  I noticed that she kept her eye on the kids, who were patiently sitting on the salt bags waiting for us.  As the groceries were totaled up I started going through my "food" envelope to pull the money out and noticed that the smiley lady was pushing her cart closer and closer to us.  I thought she was getting overly anxious for us to finish up our transaction and get out of her way.

Turns out she had another plan.

She whispered to the cashier that she would like to pay for our groceries.  Hotsauce and I were preoccupied and didn't hear what she had said.  I looked at the cashier waiting for him to tell me the total and he looked at me and stuttered, "Um, she, she, she, shhhheeee, waaa...."

To which, I scrunched up my forehead and stared at him.

So he started motioning to the lady behind me.  And in a very shy manner she said, "I would like to pay for your groceries."

I didn't know what to do.  This doesn't happen to us.  My face immediately turned red.  I could feel it starting in my neck and crawl up my face.  It was pure emotion.  I look at Hotsauce to see what I should do next and he looks at the lady and says, "Thank you."

Hmmmm.  Why didn't I think of that?  He's so profound sometimes.

She replies, "You're welcome.  You have a very nice little family." And she smiles a wonderful smile that comes out of her eyes.


And I'm blessed.  More by a smile that comes out of her eyes... or perhaps her heart? ... then I am by her actually paying for our groceries.

As we wrangle up the turkeys Hotsauce adds, "God bless you and thanks again."

I pray that God will bless that smiley lady.  I know He blessed us.  I also pray that I never forget her eyes and I pray that God will give me those eyes some day.