$6.71 and other blessings--miracles

She had a little time before she was supposed to meet her daughter and she had a few errands she needed to do. So she pulled into the parking lot of the supermarket–her intent was to run in and grab a few groceries and then meet her daughter. She pushed the gear in park and turned off the ignition. And as she reached for the door handle–her other hand reached for the key still in the ignition. She decided to wait and do her shopping after she met her daughter.

Standing in the check-out line an hour later, she heard the cashier say to the man in line in front of her–you don’t have enough on your card. And he said how much do I need. ‘$6.71,’ the cashier said in the kindest of tones. The young man reached into his bag and took out the milk--slid it closer to the cashier. ‘Do I have enough now?’ he asked.

Trying to hide her broken heart, the woman said in a soft voice to the cashier, ‘I’ll take care of the $6.71.' The cashier placed the milk back into his grocery bag and the man hung his head in humble, looked at the lady and expressed a quiet thank you to her, and walked out the door.

He walked into the restaurant, this preacher man going from table to table–visiting–smiling and talking to those he knew. A few months ago he was on a vent–fighting for his every breath. During physical therapy after his release he was weak--so much so he couldn’t walk without a walker and here he was–God’s answered prayer in the flesh–strong and his smile was that of a child who had been given the biggest of ice cream cones.

His healing journey including meeting a student while completing one of her clinicals. She was studying to become a Doctor of Physical Therapy. He came over to the table where this young lady was–now fresh out of medical school –to thank her. Then his wife came over to thank this young doctor too--for her kindness and help during her husband’s healing. She said with a smile that mirrored her husband's, “You were part of our miracle.” And this doctor’s Mama watched with watery eyes while her daughter hugged the preacher’s wife.

It was Saturday and we all knew it was more than just a day when Mama and Daddy didn’t have to go to work or a morning sitting in front of the tv watching the simple cartoons such as the Flintstones, Bugs Bunny, Scooby-Doo, or the Jetsons–it was a day when the little cafe down the road sold hotdogs–five for $1.00. And it wasn’t every Saturday my family took advantage of this special sale–but on this day me and my brothers–we wanted hotdogs for lunch–we needed them or we thought so. Daddy wasn’t at home on that Saturday–can’t remember where he had to go and Mama didn’t have any money.

And us–being the age we were didn’t understand and pouted a little–a lot–more than we should have. After a while, Mama grew tired of our whining and summoned us outside to help her hang out the wash. And just as soon as we thought our lunch would be fish sticks and french fries–something happened while hanging out the laundry. Something big happened! Mama found a dollar in Daddy’s work pants–washed and cleaned! A whole dollar! Mama hung the dollar with a single clothes pin--and to this day I can still see that dollar bill blowing in the wind. Lunch that day--hotdogs. Five to be exact.

God orchestrates our days--our stories--plans and works out every little detail. His goodness and endless love comes in our daily lives--in a young doctor's life work--reassuring her she was an important part of a patient's healing, his miracle. In a woman's plans--changing her schedule where He placed her in the exact check-out aisle at the precise moment when a stranger needed $6.71 for a gallon of milk--for his family. And in a single found dollar in a worn-out old pair of work jeans bringing a simple joy to three kids and their Mama and the blessing of having just enough.