Better than we expected and deserved

As I mentioned earlier, we're all ajitter with excitement to establish some holiday traditions as a new family of two. This weekend past, we ventured out to a Christmas tree farm where I had lofty ideas of grandeur to chop down our very first Christmas tree. As we ambled about admiring the locally grown evergreen beauties at the charming family-owned farm, an amiable worker came alongside us to help determine the perfect tree for us. While we all scouted for a seven foot, slender cypress to fill our little home with holiday cheer, we discovered that he was an integral part of the farm since its conception, and that he himself was a Christian committed to a local church not too far from us. And he found out that we were celebrating our first Christmas as wedded folks, and that the husband was a seminary student and pastor at a local church not too far from him. As much as the husband and I were enamored with the lovely greenery for sale, we quickly ascertained that even the shortest, cheapest trees were at least twice as much as we had budgeted for a Christmas tree.

We attempted to escape as he was helping another patron so as not to disappoint him because we wouldn't be buying, but he caught us. When he learned the trees were more than twice out of our budget, he declared we select the tree we wanted anyhow, for he would charge only what we could afford. We gasped in disbelief.  "I mean it," he insisted. "Get whichever tree you want. I know seminary students don't have the biggest budget for these kinds of things." We stood in shock for a moment at his kindness and thanked him profusely. Fifteen minutes later, we picked out the tree, had it cut down, cleaned, and tied atop the car. Then we realized they accepted cash or check, and yet we had a card. "Don't worry about it," the kind worker said. "This is on me." Before we could object, he said, "Really, I insist. God would want us to receive things graciously given to us wholeheartedly, because he gives us all things wholeheartedly..." He continued on, but frankly, I became an emotional mess and cannot now recall what he said. We couldn't stop thanking him. "Thank you so much for blessing us," the Mister said. "Yes," I added tearfully. "God is so kind to us through you."

I couldn't help but cry all the way home, as I reflected on God's grace and mercy toward us through the worker's heartfelt kindness, when we are so undeserving. Now, every time I look at our lovely Christmas tree in the corner of our little living room, I am reminded of God's goodness to us, which is far better than we expected and deserved, first through the gospel, and now through the effects of the gospel lived out in his people's lives. We are blessed with a glorious beginning to the Christmas season.