I had the most incredible event occur on Saturday afternoon.
My husband and I's "adopted" son was in town (he is 24 so he can't really be adopted) and so he and the hubbs stay up late discussing things as always. On Saturday we had a garage sale, which we prayed about and it was a success! We donated the remains to Goodwill. After the sale, the boys decided to nap. I am not usually a very good 'napper' so I decided to get up and do something. Then my son woke up so I made a trip to Wally World to get some supplies.
At Wally World I found some awesome fabric, and some pink lace for a fancy diaper idea for SB and CI's babies. I decided to pick up some food too. My son and I wandered around for a bit and checked out, I could not believe how much I spent! Then we went home. The boys were still asleep so I attempted to put Ethan down for a nap, unloaded the groceries and checked the receipt. Something I never do. I realized that the cashier had somehow charged me twice for my fabric. So I jumped back in my car and road 5 minutes down the road to Walmart. I found my cashier, and she said, upon recognizing me "Oh sweetie, thank goodness you came back! you chicken is in the cooler with customer service!" I had no idea that I forgot my chicken. So I went over to customer service and waited in line. Now let me interject here; for days I have been praying to have faith that God will provide. I have more patience than anyone else I know (if anyone knows my husband they know why) but I need more faith in the Lord. I have faith that he will guide me on my path, I have faith that he will keep my husband and I's marriage strong, but for some reason I believe that my money is mine, and not the Lord's. I need more faith there. The whole drive back to Walmart I talked to God and said " Thank you Lord for helping to realize that I got charged twice, I don't know why I will need this $10, but I am sure I will need it for something."
Back to my story, while waiting in line at customer service there was a young woman there with her mother (I'm guessing) and her tiny little daughter. She was talking to the clerk about something and I heard the word diapers. I make them, so obviously I want to reach out to anyone having trouble diapering their little ones. When she was done she moved to the side and began talking to her mom. I leaned over and said,
"Sweetie, did you say something about diapers?" She looked back at me and said "Yes, I lost my money card and my daughter needs diapers." I replied "Well I have a pack of newborns at my house, I can run home and grab them if you want." She looked sad and said "She is in size 2." To that I said "Well, the cashier charged me twice for my fabric, I will buy you a pack of size 2 diapers for your daughter. I make cloth diapers, if you are interested here is my card." She just looked at me with tears in her eyes and said "You don't have to do that." Now since before my son was born, I have had people I barely know (and some I don't know at all) help me out with the smallest of things, and it always feels like a miracle, and after every time I would pray and say Lord, I want to do that for someone, someday. If I can help, Lord give me the means. I was now standing in front of the customer service clerk at this point. I gave her my receipt and the ticket for the fabric, and she proceeded to give me my refund. I looked at this young woman and said "People have done it for me. You are clearly in need, and God has given me the means to get these diapers for you. If I had not checked my receipt, I would not have come back, if I didn't forget my chicken, I wouldn't be in customer service. I'll go get you some diapers and I'll be right back." So I grabbed her some luvs, those were my favorite when I used disposables, for the sole reason that the package is purple. I decided to grab her a box of diapers. Hopefully 96 will last her a little while. Grabbed my receipt and walked back over to them. We talked for a minute, she looked very young, maybe 20 or so, and told me she breastfed which is always awesome and that she had really wanted to cloth diaper, but did not have a washer and dryer. Essential components to CDing. I told her I had several mom friends who CD and ones who nursed and to give me a call if she ever needed another mom friend. Young moms so often do. I gave her a hug and told her God Bless I really meant it too. And walked to my car with tears in my eyes.
So rarely am I so obviously blessed. There are many, many wonderful blessings in my life, but I don't realize them immediately, I just know that they are blessings. This whole occurrence was God so blatantly smacking me over the head with a blessing and an answered prayer at the same time. It left me in a complete daze, and got me thinking at the same time. If I had judged that young woman, for her pink and purple streaked hair, or her dimple piercings or her young motherhood or her lack of a wedding band, I may never have talked to her. I may never have reached out to do what God clearly put me there to do. There are many lessons in this small event, not the least is that judging people is wrong and unchristian. God gives us so many incredible, awe inspiring and amazing things, is it so hard to just love others? I pray that she will call, and I pray that we can find a friendship among the 2 of us, and I pray that she gets to read this. I have simply been blessed with the people in my life because, although I am human and I DO judge, I NEVER hold my judgements against anyone, and I refuse to let myself voice them. People have wrongly judged me my entire life, and there a few things that hurt more than being judged. (and hopefully one day, I truly will have stomped out the judging reflex) Everyone is on their own journey, who am I to say their struggles are less than?
Happy Diapering, Mamas!
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