Thursday, December 2, 2010

Not Returnable

Due to a family situation, my Mother-in-law, Bea had come to live with us for awhile.

I told Bea, “Two women in the kitchen is one too many, so I am going to work at Montgomery Wards and you can be the cook and keep house.” She thought that was an excellent idea and said that was fine by her.

I was not new to working at Montgomery Ward, as I had worked there the previous Christmas season. Wards hired me in the catalog department and put me on the early morning shift. I needed to be at work by 5:00 am and was to get off work at 2:00 pm. This gave me time to get home and welcome my children as they arrived from school.

We changed our morning routine, and I asked Bea to have each child take a Scripture promise from the promise box and read it as they left for school. I had been saying a prayer over each child as they left for the day, and now that was altered too. Our prayers were now in the evening and a Bible story time as they went to bed.

Bea refused to be paid for her work in the kitchen, as she declared that she owed us for letting her stay there. “But - - if you insist,” she said, “You can buy me an outfit from those clearance pages they give the employees.”

Now if you knew my mother-in-law, you knew she loved to shop. The most exciting part of shopping, for Bea, was the taking back the item after she had brought it home.

We both knew that these items in the close out pages, were not returnable or refundable and they were ours to keep, once purchased.

We would search through those close out pages, and find just the right size, and we ordered some really nice dresses for a pittance of the regular price. One for you and one for me was our motto. Every pay day, we would go shopping in the pages of the old sales books with our close out sheet for guidance.

Fortunately we were the same size, and after Bea would wear her dress, she asked if we could trade. I did not mind a bit, and it was fun to have a selection. Next best thing to returning the item for Bea, was to swap with me.

After several months, things got better with her family situation, and Bea moved back home with her husband.

Now the great thing was, they happened to live within walking distance of Montgomery Wards. Bea could now shop and return items to her hearts content.

God has something wonderful for you and it is Not returnable and is Not refundable.

It is His gift of Salvation. Just open you heart and allow Jesus to come into your life.

Romans 11:29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance.

1 comment:

Laura said...

What a wonderful story and how it makes me smile to imagine you and Bea working together in this way to make a way through life. That is such a beautiful thing. And we get salvation to boot. What a gift.