Friday, December 24, 2004

Miss Virginia, Our Very Special Guest

Miss Virginia is an elderly neighbor lady. She lives across the street and is very proud of her magnolia tree that invades the entire front of her yard. The kids like to hide in it, but she usually shoos them away and worries that they may have broken a branch or two. She is quick to nit pick the landscaping of each property in the circle, and watches everything that goes on.



Miss Virginia is the neighborhood lady who always seems to know what is going on with everyone around here. Of course, what she "knows", or shares, isn't necessarily true, or maybe isn't even close to accurate, but she feels it necessary to offer an opinion about it anyway. She is harmless enough, and in conversations with her we usually end up shaking our heads in wonder and show quizzical expressions on our faces. Talking a short while with Miss Virginia, one will soon realize that she is "not all there". Many of her stories don't make any sense, and she will often "remember" things that never happened. It can be somewhat awkward to be around Miss Virginia, but she is a sweet lady with a kind heart.



Recently she mentioned to Katie that her grown children live too far away to visit her and rarely do they come, not even for special holidays. I can't think of a time I have ever noticed visitors at her house, although, I don't usually keep an eye on such things anyway.



This Christmas Katie and I decided to invite Miss Virginia over to share Christmas Dinner with the framily. It was one of those things that honestly, we didn't necessarily want to do, but we knew it was the right thing to do. It is what Jesus would do.



Well, it's amazing what God does as he multiplies blessings for those who choose to follow Him. As soon as she received our invitation, she must have immediately started to work. A few moments ago, Miss Virginia hand delivered a pecan pie, fresh from the oven! Still hot! She left a card with us that blessed us big. It is a simple friendship card, but it is what she shared in it that carries the most meaning. It is the part that affirmed that we did right by inviting her to dinner with us to celebrate the birth of our Savior.



She wrote:



"It is Christmas every time you let God love others through you...everytime you smile and offer your hand" (she quoted it but didn't name the source)



(of course, you do not need this pie, but I have just baked it for you--pecan pies freeze well, for New Years, Valentines, and Easter ~~~)





Then she wrote:



Dear, dear ones...what a nice surprise, and heart-warming gesture with this invitation~~just when I needed it most!!!!





Just when she needed it most! God's timing is perfect! I'm glad we followed His lead!



The card had a scripture that read "I thank my God upon every remembrance of you" Philippians 1:3 and to that Miss Virginia added how she thanked God for the time Katie rescued her from the Exxon when her car broke down. Problem is, Katie never rescued her and neither did I! LOL Who knows if she was ever really broken down! LOL



So, Christmas dinner should be very interesting tomorrow and I'm looking forward to it. For the past few holidays the framily has been invited to eat elsewhere, but tomorrow, we shall be the host for a very special guest in Miss Virginia.



It may be the start of a new framily tradition!

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