Reece Gardner: "God heard me"

Since we are entering the Christmas Season, I want to revisit some remarks I made several years ago about Kevin Schull's experience during this season. Kevin told about how he was walking around a store when he saw a cashier hand a little boy his money back and say, "I'm sorry, son, but you don't have enough money to buy this doll."

The little boy then turned to his grandmother and said, "Granny, are you sure I don't have enough money?"  She sadly told him he didn't and then, to hide her tears, she walked away for a few minutes. Kevin walked over to the boy, who was still holding on to the doll, and asked him who he wanted to give the doll to.  "It's the doll my sister loved most and wanted it for this Christmas.

She was so sure that Santa would bring it to her."  Kevin replied that maybe Santa would bring it to her after all, but the little boy said softly, "No, Santa can't bring it to her where she is now. I have to give the doll to my mommy so she can give it to my sister when she joins her." He continued, "You see, Mister, my little sister has gone to be with God. Daddy says that Mommy is going to see God soon, so I thought she could take the doll to her." 

Kevin was quiet as the little boy continued, "I asked Daddy to tell Mommy not to go until I returned home with the doll." He then displayed a photo of himself when he was happy, and said, "I want Mommy to take this picture with her. I love my mommy very much, and I don't want her to leave us, but Daddy says she has to go to be with my little sister." 

Kevin then reached for his wallet, and while the boy wasn't looking, added some money to the existing amount. They counted it again and there was enough for the doll and even some leftover. The little boy happily exclaimed, "Thank God for giving me this money!" He then looked at Kevin and said, "I prayed last night that God would make sure that I had enough money to buy this doll, and He heard me." 

He continued, "I also hoped to have enough money to buy a white rose for my mommy, and God has given me enough to buy the doll AND the white rose. My mommy always loved white roses." Kevin then went on to finish his shopping, but he couldn't get the little boy out of his mind.

He then remembered a local newspaper article several days prior that told about a young lady and a little girl being involved in an automobile accident. The little girl had died right away and the mother was in critical condition. Two days after this, Kevin read in the newspaper that the young lady had passed away. 

He immediately went out and bought a bunch of white roses, and went to the funeral home. The body of the young woman was there, in her coffin, with a beautiful white rose in her hand, and with the doll and the photo of the little boy on her chest. Kevin then said, "I left this place with tears in my eyes and a much greater understanding of what true love is all about."

Now to close with this: Two children were in line in the cafeteria of their Catholic primary school for lunch.  At the head of the table was a large pile of apples. The nun made a note and posted it on the apple tray, "Take only one. God is watching." Moving further along the lunch line, at the other end of the table, was a large pile of chocolate chip cookies. One child whispered to the other, "Hey, we can take all of these we want. God is busy watching the apples!"

Have a WONDROUS day!