Several months ago I was visiting Fredericksburg. In preparation for an upcoming 10K, I went for a run. It was a day when I was supposed to run 8 miles. My husband mapped out four and I was to run four one way, turn around and run them back.
During the first leg of the eight, I saw an estate sale. I am hard pressed to pass up garage sales...anywhere! I love browsing through people's old things. I think it tells a story of who they are, or who they were. Having an almost 98 year old father-in-law, I have seen many items from the late 1800's in his possession. At any rate, I made up my mind that I was coming back to that estate sale after I ran.
Upon completing the 8 miles, I told my husband "we just have to go" and of course after a quick shower, we did. I walked in and was not disappointed. I saw multiple items that we could never find today. We purchased a chest from 1920 that was in immaculate shape.
On the other side of the estate sale was a neighbor holding her own garage sale. It was there that I found a pocket book that was silver in color. My own pocket book is about four inches thick and barely fits in my purse. This one was flat and it drew me to it. I asked the lady "how much" and she replied "I'll give it to you for a quarter." "Deal!"
I purchased it and immediately moved in my credit cards, money, and ID. How sweet to only carry this "flat" pocket book with only the things I need. I came home with it and a few days later I pulled it out to pay for a purchase. My sister Cynthia was with me and she admired the pocket book. She said "I want one of those from you for Christmas." No small challenge I might add.
I looked everywhere! None of them were flat and none of them had the clasp mine did. All the one's I found opened in a "pocket" form rather than "flat, book" form. At one point, I found one at a leather store in San Diego. It had the clasp she wanted but was pocket/zipper style. Ugh! I purchased it anyway.
Still my sister kept telling me...I want one like yours. I want that one. Of course, I said No! "You can not have mine!" Really? It cost me a quarter! The issue however, was that I also wanted a book type not a zipper type and I also loved the clasp....besides, it was my find.
I tried and tried to locate one for her. In fact at a later trip to Fredericksburg, a young cashier saw me pull my pocket book out and asked "Did you get it at Bliss? They have the same pocket book!" Off to Bliss I went. I found it! Same colors, same clasp...is it possible I am in luck?
No such luck, it was pocket/zipper type. I was just going to have to tell my sister I had failed in my quest to locate one. I gave it much thought and re-lived how many times and how much my sister said "I want that pocket book."
Quietly in the silence of my room, I penned the following:
Sister,
I knwo how much you liked my pocketbook and believe me, I looked everywehre for one like it. I could not find one. It was an item that was so cheap, an item that someone gave up for the mere price of twenty-five cents!
You know your sister, she would stop at nothing until she found one. I looked in Kohl's, Macy's, Dillards, JC Penny, Fredericksburg, San Diego, speciality leather shops and everwhere in between still, I could not find one.
I was faced with a decision that came very easy for me...I had to get one for you regardless of what I had to do to get it.
As I thought of it, I thought of how much I love you and how I just wanted to do that for you...get you that pocket book.
It reminded me of the story of the little boy that tried so hard to buy Christmas shoes for his mother on Christmas eve.
Over two thousand years ago God made a sacrifice that was very costly. He sent his only Son to be born so that all of us would have an opportunity at eternal life.
I made the decision....regardless of what it cost me, you were going to have a pocket book like mine.
So here it is sister-Merry Christmas and I love You!
With that, I tucked the letter in the box along with my now emptied out pocket book and I wrapped it up for my sister.
Sometimes sacrifice comes with a cost....no I'm not talking about a quarter. The cost of God giving His only Son was high. The question then becomes "What will you do with it?"
I share this not to glorify my self but to glorify the work of Christ in me. He lived a selfless, giving life and was restored to the throne of heaven. He did not struggle with the decision as I did, He did not try to find a substitute as I did, He did not make excuses....as I did. My prayer is that my sister will see the love I had for her and will know the love God has for her...He indeed made the ultimate sacrifice.
A certain ruler asked him "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" ...Jesus said "Sell everything you have and give to the poor and you will have treasures in heaven. Then come follow me." When [the man] heard this, he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth. Jesus looked at him and said, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! Indeed it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God."
Luke 18:18 & 22-25
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