BACKGROUND:

Yesterday, Alex asked me to go to pick up something for him, and I just could not muster the energy to go, so I told him I would go today. And as soon as I got up today, he reminded me. I started battling a stomach demon during the night and it was continuing on today…but, I said I would go. Only ’cause they have restrooms at Wal-Mart. And it was entirely possible that I was going to have to visit them while I was there. Sometimes you just know these things. So, I was not in the best frame of mind or body as I set out on my appointed mission.

MORE BACKGROUND:

One of my BFF’s, Shirley, has a speaking ministry and she speaks to women’s groups all over the area. One of her talks is titled, LOVE NEVER FAILS, EVEN AT WAL-MART. I don’t remember all the examples she uses, but, it’s a wonderful lesson. My other BFF, Tina, is also a Godly woman, and she always inspires me to be better than I would have a natural tendency to. Not that I am an evil doer or anything…but Tina inspires me to look for every opportunity to do good. Even if I had nothing to do with a situation…try to make it better. She told me one time that every time I put my grocery cart in the proper place in the parking lot, God was looking down and saying, “That’s my girl!”. So I HAVE to put up every cart I use ’cause I figure He’s gonna see and when He says, “That’s my girl”…I want Him to say it with a smile on His face because I did the right thing. Can we all just say “CONVICTION!”

TODAY’S STORY:

So, here I go to WM, stomach cramps and all. I spy a parking place right by the door. “Thank you, Jesus. You know I needed that.” DANG! there’s… a cart sitting right in the middle of the space. I am not a happy shopper…I really wanted THAT space. Oh, well, I spy another one several spaces down the way. And, I take that one. As I walk into the store, I pass by the first space and see a car turning in and having to stop like I did. I hurried up to the space, and boy, did I get an earful! The 2 women were cussing up a blue streak( that’s Southern for alot!). I just smiled at them and moved the cart into the receptacle, and kept on walking. Pat me on the back, Shirley! I showed love at WM. I don’t know if those heathen women noticed, but I did it. And, I imagined God seeing my good deed and putting another star on my chart! Good deed done, let’s finish this shopping!
The smiling lady at the entrance gives me my cart and I go straight to the very fartherest region of the store to fill Alex’s list. Oh, no. Why do they only have restrooms in the FRONT of the store? I hide my cart, and go, quickly, to the restroom. “Thank-you, Jesus, they have been cleaned recently.” I take care of business and return to my cart. O.K. Let’s get this and go. I have to pass the fall decor and of course I needed a few things to round out my decorations. And, while I’m here, I might as well pick up some candy for the kids at school, and we were almost out of crackers and apple juice in the nursery yesterday, and I need to see if they have the Milo’s unsweet tea, cause that’s the kind Don likes and Winn- Dixie only has Red Diamond, and Mom needs some potato soup, and if I plan to wash anymore this week, I need to get some more Gain, and…and…and…UH!OH! AGAIN! I push the full cart and park it outside the restroom and pray no one moves it. O.K. I should have just enough time to check out and get home before…well, you know…
Of course there are only 5 people working the registers….why they have 35 registers, I’ll never understand…because they never have but 5 open. There’s one. I get in line behind 2 other ladies and wait. And wait. Finally I can start putting my things on the conveyor. I turn around and there is a young Asian girl with an armful of bean sprouts, and obviously in a hurry. “You go ahead of me”, I said. “Oh, no…you next”. “That’s o.k., you just have a few things and I don’t mind.” “Thank-you, Mama said to hurry!” She goes ahead and I commence to unloading more of my items. As I am finishing, along comes a tired, old lady. She is holding a package of Epsom Salt and a package of gel insoles for shoes. I must look like someone she knows because she starts talking, “Honey, I finally found these salts. If they don’t help my feet, I reckon I am just going to have to quit walking. These feet have walked many a mile and I guess they’s just wore plumb out! Bob brought me up here, you’d think he would come in and get this for me, but he aint never been no good…just like a old man. He’s sitting in the car and probably mad as h—! You know how he is. He’ll be sorry when I can’t stand up and fix for him like I do…then he’ll be singing another song. You know I can’t even wear them new shoes Sally brought fer me, cause they’s hurtin’ so bad. Them were shore purty shoes, weren’t they?” I had never seen this woman before..ever…in my whole life. The Asian girl was moving on, so I said to the old lady, “You go on ahead of me, since you just have 2 things.” “Well, that’s mighty nice of you,sissy, but you’re ‘head a me!” “Well, I’m just thinking about Bob out there in the car, let’s don’t make him any madder.” She threw back her head and laughed, and with a toothless grin, she said, “Honey, you know him better’n I do!” Who in this world does she think I am? So, I take her arm and lead her up to the cash register, so she can pay. She does, and as she leaves, she says, “Wait’ll I tell Bob…just wait!” She hobbles away, and I don’t even look behind me for fear there will be someone else with only a few items. “And, Lord, please calm the storm in my colon right now…AMEN!”
I check out and make it to the car, unload my groceries into the back, and TAKE MY BUGGY AND PUT IT IN THE RIGHT PLACE. Going around to get into my car, an older man and woman who had been in line behind the old lady stopped. “Help me, Lord, I need to get home!” The lady spoke first, “We saw you going in the store when you moved that cart that was in the way. Then, we happened to get in line behind you and we saw that you let the young girl go through. Then, we saw you talk so kindly to the old lady and let her go ahead. Why did you do those things?” “No reason, just trying to be nice.” Then the man said, “Well, we want you to know, you have preached a sermon today. We appreciate your kindness…you just never know when someone is watching what you do, honey.” And, they walked away. Oh, but I do know who is watching me….and, He helped me make it home in time…for…you know….”Thank-you, Jesus!”