Christmas Celebration Heroes

Getting a fresh glimpse of Christmas can happen in a number of places... this first one that I will mention here took place in Wall Mart last evening.

Remembering that it is about two weeks from Christmas and that it is a Friday night in Wall Mart – I know that it will be busy when we planned to go there. There will be lots of people – I mean lots and lots. I didn’t need to buy anything my wife does al that – but I needed to look and watch. This store is a favourite place to do these activities of mine.

Hero Number One…
She is short and has a bright red Santa hat on. She is pushing a supply of carts from their nesting place in the wall. She sees every customer as they come in. This woman is beaming from ear to ear. She loves her job – wow. Even though the door continues to open and close letting a little blast of cold air in each time – she is happy. With her smile at me comes a hearty – “Welcome..” My reply was, “I am back again..” as I smiled back at her. She then said, “We want to come back again and again!” and grinned from ear to ear again.

First thought…
I need this woman to attend our church – SHE IS SO GREAT AT WHAT SHE DOES. I had experienced a very long day and was pooped out… but this greeting made me say, “Wow! I am glad that I came here!!”

Hero Number Two…
The table was set up in the middle of the main aisle. On the table was a display unit covered with pieces of paper. Behind the table were two volunteers. They were two ladies of the charitable group that was asking for Christmas donations for their group. Wall Mart was doing their part by providing the space to let the group meet the public. However few people were stopping by the table. My guess is that it wasn’t because of the people’s lack of charitable interests – but likely because of who was at the table.

The two ladies sitting there were very different from each other. One had a very slight smile on her face that would slip to her lips once in a while – she was trying to be happy. Maybe she was watching the happy greeter at the front door enjoy herself. Beside the ‘almost happy volunteer’ was the most unhappy person in the store. She sat motionless with her arms crossed over her body. Her gaze didn’t catch anyone walking by the table. SHE DID NOT WANT TO BE THERE and you could easily see it! The poor woman was broadcasting absolute anger or agony or terror or disgust or something… It appeared that if she was to smile she would explode. The woman sitting beside her made a small comment to her as I passed the table – and there was no reply. I stood back and watched her… but nothing changed. Wow! I felt sorry for her… what a painful thing to have her have to volunteer.

Second Thought…
I felt so sorry for her that I ALMOST walked over and shouted “Hang on Lady… life will be over soon… you will die like the rest of us… but for now… BE HAPPY or GO HOME!!!!” The lady beside her struggled for another word to her ‘arm crossed and miserable partner’. It was then that my heart went out to the almost happy volunteer, this lady was another Hero.

Hero Number Three…
As I walked away from the volunteer’s table the people flowed by me like a river – almost all negotiating heavily laden shopping carts. Old and young alike playing the ‘shopping cart bumping game’. One cart however was sitting half full and not moving. A young man about twelve was standing nearby the electronics section. In front of him was a display of a very popular “guitar computer game” – the boys his age all love it. He was guarding his mom’s shopping cart and staring at the display.

Then it happened… he picked up the ‘guitar computer game’ package…looked left and right… then carefully placed it in the shopping cart along with the other items… grinning slightly to himself. His mom won’t discover the guitar until after they get home and they begin to unpacked the Wall Mart plastic bags. She has so much in the cart that she will never know. He walked a little ways from the cart to assume his almost bored attitude as he guarded the cart. I walked on thinking, “He is in trouble tonight… oh boy.”

As I came back toward the front of the store walking past the 12 year old – HE WAS IN TROUBLE NOW! His mom had caught him and his deceitful act of covering the ‘guitar computer game’ under the other parcels. The young fellow had forgotten that MOMS DON’T FORGET what they place in their shopping cart – and – most important MOMS DON’T FORGET AT ALL.

As I passed the cart and the two of them her words were strong and straight out there… “We don’t buy our own gifts Jeremy. People buy gifts for us… that is why they are called gifts! Don’t try that again!”

I JUST HAD TO SAY SOMETHING! The poor young fellow had no smile on his face, his head was down and she was killing his Christmas Spirit. There was no smile now… he was looking at the ‘guitar computer game’ and slowly lifting it from the shopping cart with more internal pain than anyone I have ever gazed at. She continued, “Now YOU PUT IT BACK!”

I mean… I JUST HAD TO SAY SOMETHING! So I did. To lighten it a little I introduced myself with, “Excuse me…” I looked at the lady first and then the boy and continued… “Hey – I saw you pick up the guitar and put it in the cart… that was a good one… I have done that too… and I am a grandpa…” I tried to lighten the load the poor kid was under. Mom was quickly trying to analyse this old geezer(me) that had tried to interfere with her discipline. She smiled a little and then went back at him… “PUT it BACK Jeremy!”

I walked away… okay… I tried. Maybe following the feeling to say something isn’t such a good idea… Oh Boy!

Forty five minutes of shopping passed and I was now standing at the cash register area waiting for my wife. I walked back and forth doing the “bored to death husband” thing – possibly letting me wife know that it was time to go. (On the side – I learned this from the caged tiger at the zoo I had visited. It does give a solid message to everyone looking on – they walk around you and your space you have created by the “bored to death husband” thing… kind of fun actually…. A tiger attitude and a “bored to death husband”… same thing.)

Then I saw them. The same 12 year old was walking toward me slowly ahead of his mom and her full shopping cart. They had just cleared the cash registers and it was time to go home. As they passed me – the son first and then the mom… she grinned at me and leaned quickly over to my shoulder and whispered… “I got him into get his hair cut and while he was there I bought it and stashed it in the car without him knowing it…!” She grinned from ear to ear.

I said to her, “You are so cool WAY TO GO!”

Third Thought…
Kid you have one great mom there… that thing wasn’t cheap… and she really loves you. That mom is another Hero!

Conclusion…
Christmas Celebration Heroes are all around me. Now I wonder who is watching the “bored to death husband” thing.

~ Pastor Murray Lincoln ~