A Story That Will Make You Smile

"Want to hear a story that will make you cry?" Matt said over the phone.
I sat on the condo balcony, overlooking the shimmering lake with its sunset flakes of gold bobbing on the waves.
"If it has a happy ending," I said.

Matt was getting married in just four days. I sure didn't want to hear stories from him that were too sad.
Matt had cleaned out his Richmond apartment and was on his way back to Lynchburg. He would stay with us in the condo on the lake til his wedding. He only has a small car and we decided the best thing to do was sell the bed I'd bought him for his Richmond apartment.

"So I listed it on Craig's list," he told me," And a lady called me asking if I could sell it to her this weekend. She needed a bed for her two year old.
I told her no, sorry, I was getting married this weekend so it had to go today. She told me that wouldn't work out for her as her husband didn't get paid til this weekend. So I told her that I could reduce the price if that would help. But she said no, thanks, but it really wouldn't work for them. They lived paycheck to paycheck as her husband was a cook, so she would just pass on the bed.

By now, I am feeling really sorry for her, so I told her, please, just come take the bed for free. But when her husband got paid, maybe they could give a little money to a church of their choice. She told me they were very involved with their church and volunteer there a lot, so she would be overjoyed to do that.

So her husband comes to get the bed, big burly guy and super nice. And in the car is a cute curly haired little girl. The husband tells me that he works at Bojangles as a cook, and volunteers also cooking for church events."
Matt paused in his story, and I could hear his smile across the miles.

By now, of course, I am crying as I hear the story, thinking of the mercy and grace of God to have blessed me with a child of such kindness and compassion. And to have linked him to the family without a bed for their daughter. A family that themselves love God and were trusting Him for their provision.

"So," Matt continued,"I called Karissa and told her the story, and she started crying. And she said, 'Why don't we tithe our wedding gift money and give it to that family?'"

"So," Matt said,"I called the guy and told him that was what we'd like to do if that would be ok with them."

I worry, like every mother of all the cruelty and sorrow and broken dreams my dear son will have to overcome in this world. He seems so young, my baby who is about to be married. But that story reminded me that he was harboring a soul and gaining a wife who understood what the most important thing in all existance is....And he was trusting in the One who gave him the heart to want to give a two year old a soft place to lay her head that night.

3 John 1:4-6 NIV

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. Dear friend, you are faithful in what you are doing for the brothers and sisters, even though they are strangers to you. They have told the church about your love. Please send them on their way in a manner that honors God.

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