Christmas at The Gas Station

The old man sat in his gas station on a cold Christmas Eve. He hadn't been anywhere in years since his wife had passed away. It was just another day to him. He didn't hate Christmas, just couldn't find a reason to celebrate. He was sitting there looking at the snow that had been falling for the last hour and wondering what it was all about when the door opened and a homeless man stepped through.

Instead of throwing the man out, Old George as he was known by his customers, told the man to come and sit by the heater and warm up. "Thank you, but I don't mean to intrude," said the stranger. "I see you're busy, I'll just go." "Not without something hot in your belly." George said.

He turned and opened a wide mouth Thermos and handed it to the stranger. "It ain't much, but it's hot and tasty. Stew ... Made it myself. When you're done, there's coffee and it's fresh."

Just at that moment he heard the "ding" of the driveway bell. "Excuse me, be right back," George said. There in the driveway was an old '53 Chevy. Steam was rolling out of the front. The driver was panicked. "Mister can you help me!" said the driver, with a deep Spanish accent. "My wife is with child and my car is broken." George opened the hood. It was bad. The block looked cracked from the cold, the car was dead. "You ain't going in this thing," George said as he turned away.

"But Mister, please help ..." The door of the office closed behind George as he went inside. He went to the office wall and got the keys to his old truck, and went back outside. He walked around the building, opened the garage, started the truck and drove it around to where the couple was waiting. "Here, take my truck," he said. "She ain't the best thing you ever looked at, but she runs real good."

George helped put the woman in the truck and watched as it sped off into the night. He turned and walked back inside the office. "Glad I gave 'em the truck, their tires were shot too. That 'ol truck has brand new ." George thought he was talking to the stranger, but the man had gone. The Thermos was on the desk, empty, with a used coffee cup beside it. "Well, at least he got something in his belly," George thought.

George went back outside to see if the old Chevy would start. It cranked slowly, but it started. He pulled it into the garage where the truck had been. He thought he would tinker with it for something to do. Christmas Eve meant no customers. He discovered the the block hadn't cracked, it was just the bottom hose on the radiator. "Well, shoot, I can fix this," he said to

himself. So he put a new one on.

"Those tires ain't gonna get 'em through the winter either." He took the snow treads off of his wife's old Lincoln. They were like new and he wasn't going to drive the car anyway.

As he was working, he heard shots being fired. He ran outside and beside a police car an officer lay on the cold ground. Bleeding from the left shoulder, the officer moaned, "Please help me."

George helped the officer inside as he remembered the training he had received in the Army as a medic. He knew the wound needed attention. "Pressure to stop the bleeding," he thought. The uniform company had been there that morning and had left clean shop towels. He used those and duct tape to bind the wound. "Hey, they say duct tape can fix anythin'," he said, trying to make the policeman feel at ease.

"Something for pain," George thought. All he had was the pills he used for his back. "These ought to work." He put some water in a cup and gave the policeman the pills. "You hang in there, I'm going to get you an ambulance."

The phone was dead. "Maybe I can get one of your buddies on that there talk box out in your car." He went out only to find that a bullet had gone into the dashboard destroying the two way radio.

He went back in to find the policeman sitting up. "Thanks," said the officer. "You could have left me there. The guy that shot me is still in the area."

George sat down beside him, "I would never leave an injured man in the Army and I ain't gonna leave you." George pulled back the bandage to check for bleeding. "Looks worse than what it is. Bullet passed right through 'ya. Good thing it missed the important stuff though. I think with time your gonna be right as rain."

George got up and poured a cup of coffee. "How do you take it?" he asked. "None for me," said the officer. "Oh, yer gonna drink this. Best in the city. Too bad I ain't got no donuts." The officer laughed and winced at the same time.

The front door of the office flew open. In burst a young man with a gun. "Give me all your cash! Do it now!" the young man yelled. His hand was shaking and George could tell that he had never done anything like this before.

"That's the guy that shot me!" exclaimed the officer.

"Son, why are you doing this?" asked George, "You need to put the cannon away. Somebody else might get hurt."

The young man was confused. "Shut up old man, or I'll shoot you, too. Now give me the cash!"

The cop was reaching for his gun. "Put that thing away," George said to the cop, "we got one too many in here now."

He turned his attention to the young man. "Son, it's Christmas Eve. If you need money, well then, here. It ain't much but it's all I got. Now put that pea shooter away."

George pulled $150 out of his pocket and handed it to the young man, reaching for the barrel of the gun at the same time. The young man released his grip on the gun, fell to his knees and began to cry. "I'm not very good at this am I? All I wanted was to buy something for my wife and son," he went on. "I've lost my job, my rent is due, my car got repossessed last week."

George handed the gun to the cop. "Son, we all get in a bit of squeeze now and then. The road gets hard sometimes, but we make it through the best we can."

He got the young man to his feet, and sat him down on a chair across from the cop. "Sometimes we do stupid things." George handed the young man a cup of coffee. "Bein' stupid is one of the things that makes us human. Comin' in here with a gun ain't the answer. Now sit there and get warm and we'll sort this thing out."

The young man had stopped crying. He looked over to the cop. "Sorry I shot you. It just went off. I'm sorry officer." "Shut up and drink your coffee " the cop said. George could hear the sounds of sirens outside. A police car and an ambulance skidded to a halt. Two cops came through the door, guns drawn. "Chuck! You ok?" one of the cops asked the wounded officer.

"Not bad for a guy who took a bullet. How did you find me?"

"GPS locator in the car. Best thing since sliced bread. Who did this?" the other cop asked as he approached the young man.


Chuck answered him, "I don't know. The guy ran off into the dark. Just dropped his gun and ran."

George and the young man both looked puzzled at each other.

"That guy work here?" the wounded cop continued. "Yep," George said, "just hired him this morning. Boy lost his job."

The paramedics came in and loaded Chuck onto the stretcher. The young man leaned over the wounded cop and whispered, "Why?"

Chuck just said, "Merry Christmas boy ... and you too, George, and thanks for everything."

"Well, looks like you got one doozy of a break there. That ought to solve some of your problems."

George went into the back room and came out with a box. He pulled out a ring box. "Here you go, something for the little woman. I don't think Martha would mind. She said it would come in handy some day."

The young man looked inside to see the biggest diamond ring he ever saw. "I can't take this," said the young man. "It means something to you."

"And now it means something to you," replied George. "I got my memories. That's all I need."

George reached into the box again. An airplane, a car and a truck appeared next. They were toys that the oil company had left for him to sell. "Here's something for that little man of yours."

The young man began to cry again as he handed back the $150 that the old man had handed him earlier.

"And what are you supposed to buy Christmas dinner with? You keep that too," George said. "Now git home to your family."

The young man turned with tears streaming down his face. "I'll be here in the morning for work, if that job offer is still good."

"Nope. I'm closed Christmas day," George said. "See ya the day after."

George turned around to find that the stranger had returned. "Where'd you come from? I thought you left?"

"I have been here. I have always been here," said the stranger. "You say you don't celebrate Christmas. Why?"

"Well, after my wife passed away, I just couldn't see what all the bother was. Puttin' up a tree and all seemed a waste of a good pine tree. Bakin' cookies like I used to with Martha just wasn't the same by myself and besides I was gettin' a little chubby."

The stranger put his hand on George's shoulder. "But you do celebrate the holiday, George. You gave me food and drink and warmed me when I was cold and hungry. The woman with child will bear a son and he will become a great doctor.

The policeman you helped will go on to save 19 people from being killed by terrorists. The young man who tried to rob you will make you a rich man and not take any for himself. "That is the spirit of the season and you keep it as good as any man."

George was taken aback by all this stranger had said. "And how do you know all this?" asked the old man.

"Trust me, George. I have the inside track on this sort of thing. And when your days are done you will be with Martha again."

The stranger moved toward the door. "If you will excuse me, George, I have to go now. I have to go home where there is a big celebration planned."

George watched as the old leather jacket and the torn pants that the stranger was wearing turned into a white robe. A golden light began to fill the room.

"You see, George ... it's My birthday. Merry Christmas."

George fell to his knees and replied, "Happy Birthday, LordJesus"

Merry Christmas!!

This story is better than any greeting card.


MERRY CHRISTMAS AND GOD BLESS!

Excuses

I would address the issues that hurt me, but if I were to do so you would say I was just being petty, or ignore my feelings, or thoughts because they are nothing like yours'.
All too often this is the words of those who hold things in and go about their lives as all is well. Then one day it erupts into a heart full of hurt and anger and disbelief and along comes bitterness.
Isn't it recorded in history? The Holy Bible, to confront your enemies. When someone wrongs you, go to them in love.It is written by the ones who knew Jesus personally.
We can excuse ourselves right out of a relationship that was meant to grow us closer to our Lord.
What excuse do you have for not addressing an issue or for not hearing the words from those you have wronged?
Leave the excuses out in the cold and go face to face to those who need to hear from you and open your heart to hear how you have made them feel when you acted unconsciously towards their feelings.

Forgiving like Jesus

Every day should bring us a new beginning. New fresh feelings as though yesterday's errors didn't have control. For all the times we throw things in the garbage how many times do we return to gather them back?
Forgiving has always been a problem for me. It was my blanket of protection from future hurt. So long as I held you at arms distance you couldn't hurt me anymore. Wrong my friend. Way wrong. I only hurt myself when I do not forgive.
I work on forgiving and loving like Jesus did. Notice I did say "WORKING"
I pray for you all that forgiveness is something you become very familiar with.

Miss Understood

Often I feel I am miss understood on simply statements. Like the conversation I had recently with a new friend. It is difficult to cross over the threshold of being a mommie and being the mother of an adult. They need you just the same but in a totally different means. My daughters still call daily and we live only twelve miles apart but they don't need me to tell them what decisions to make and how. Advice yes but they are so strong and well informed with what they learned along the way they don't need be to mommy them now just being their mother is great.
Miss understood when I say it is a hard way to separate the child and the adult guidance. I suppose only the other mothers who have previously gone through this is the ones who don't miss understand me.

Ask and Be Ready

I ask in a prayer if I could love like the love Jesus spoke of when he walked this earth. Then it started I was given more opportunities to show love. I was ask to take a meal to a shut in. A lady who had no means of getting out on oxygen and hospis.
It's important for you to know that this lady is my sister and she had taken her life down a path that was destructive and at her on hands she would deny family time. Now she needs a meal, a smile, and I would be the one to carry it out. It went much better than I had thought it might go.
This is when I realized just what it meant when Jesus said to his followers to help the poor. My heart began to think of how many ways I could help her. Because she is my sister? No, because she was in need.
I found myself thinking of excuses for others who made mistakes and bad choices. I began seeing how to love those unlovable people.
Love is a funny thing and if you ask, be ready.

Gifts

Gifts come in so many forms. It is a gift to just sit and chat with the love of your life in the quietness of your home. I would not have received this gift had I not taken time away from writing the story. or cleaning or all the other things we as homemakers do.
Many times I have ask someone to spend time with me and they are too busy. They have no thought of the gift they might have received when allowed the time to enjoy the moment.
A lesson worth holding onto I think when ever possible, when you are invited to spend time with someone it could be a time you will never forget.

Turning a Wrong Into a “Write”!

Turning a Wrong Into a “Write”!

Let Go and Grab Hold

So many times I have held on tight to those things in life that just felt comfortable. They weren't necessarily good for me. They were just familiar with the life actions of the normal.
Although I have learned that when I would let go of a situation, no matter if it was a job, a relationship, or worse control. I would find myself in a better place. A place to grow and be better than I had been before.
The real lesson was when I realised that letting go is the only way I would have the empty hand to "grab hold"
Lesson Learn Be okay with letting go. Then open your hands your heart and your attitude to grab hold.

Man Up

Where did all the men go?
Who is ready to "man up" and take a stand for the orginal man?
God created man first, no one I know will agrue that fact. But definition of man can be summed up pretty easy. At least from my window of life. Men are to take leadership roles. They are to take care of the women of the world. Their women that is. Their daughters, wifes, sisters. But they don't, they don't "man up".
The average household today in America is single mothers. Boys are searching all the wrong places for father roles. Daughters are seraching also for that godly leader to guide and protect them.
Man up, it's your call. Before you think of yourself first, think of the role that was given you at birth, if you are male. Women must man up to the call to teach their daughters how to settle only for a godly man and expect nothing less from the man in her life.
What does your Man Up look like?

A New Year (2011) - A thought to Ponder

A New Year (2011) - A thought to Ponder

Life and Lessons: Culture or Religion

Life and Lessons: Culture or Religion

Culture or Religion

As a Christian women was speaking to her friend about the difference in their beliefs. I was taken back as I heard her say "you aren't a very good Jew". Was it because she didn't take on the traditions of the culture or that she didn't go to the synagogue, or was it she didn't have any faith at all? Or was it out of ignorance on both of their parts?
The Christian lady didn't go to church, didn't have a routine of bible reading and studying. The culture traditions she attended were mostly family dinners and gift giving at Christmas and Easter baskets. So in fact she wasn't a very good Christian. Maybe this is why they became friends.
Being a Jew is a culture one is born into. It is also a faith where Jesus is known as a prophet. A very good man,who taught the old testament of Moses, Noah,Daniel,and Isaiah.
My soul was sadden that neither of them really had a stand. It is known the Jews were Gods chosen people. It is also known we the gentiles were instructed to lead his people back to him. Why could neither of them see their place in Gods hands?
A lesson here for me, is that I will strive to understand the cultures of others and know that Jesus did not push his gift on anyone. But he did speak truth to all within hearing distance.
There is nothing that we take with us from this earth. It is all too important of what we leave behind. I sure hope it will be said one day that I left the heart to serve and the words of truth to those who wanted to accept the gift from God his only son Jesus.