OUT OF THE MOUTH,

&nb sp; THE HEART SPEAKS

It was Christmas week in the small town of Forest City. Nearly all the 3501 residents, plus some from surrounding areas; as well as the Capitol of Rutherford County were there. The lights were all aglow in the variety store, drug store, the one and only restaurant and the Bar-B-Que (the best in the whole land).

The Ice Cream Shoppe was busting-at-the-seams with consumers buying hot chocolate and going outside to sip the sweet warmth in the very cold afternoon. A few were ordering the special Alcohol-Free Egg Nog.

The Post Office usually closed by 5PM and Saturdays was still open for the late mailer. Most of the residents there had day jobs that hindered their mailing before this week unless they bought stamps and put it in the box for local or out-of-town delivery. They wanted to mail a few gifts to their family that would not be able to get together for Christmas. The Five & Dime was all a bustle with last minute shoppers for the same reasons.

The streets were extraordinarily bumper-to-bumper with cars (having to stop often for pedestrians) and people going to the park in the middle of the square (which indeed was actually oval). They had to be very fortunate to find a parking spot in this sleepy hollow town. They would say, “We roll up the streets at five and go home.” There was NO parallel parking in this town, only angle parking or a few parking lots. The park had one huge tree in the middle with a pebbles- concrete walkway going to the four directions: north, east, west, and south. Shrubbery and seasonal flowers gave it a welcomed look and appreciated. They built a platform for special occasions under the tree. There were also iron park benches for the people to use all year round. But it wasn’t just Christmas week for shoppers to bring such a large attendance to this family town.

This was the last night where you could win from $25.00 to $700.00 with tickets that the merchants had given them for a drawing each week in the month of December. This last week was the only time you could win that money above $250.00.

This too was a lot of money to farmers, farm hands, mill workers, and small businesses. The businesses gave the opportunity to their customers this option of purchasing after work. This was better than Mardi Gras without the booze. I mentioned it was cold earlier. It was cold enough to see their breath streaming from their lips the warmth hitting the cold air. They would clap their hands, shake them, blow on them, and would bounce up and down and do a run-in-place to retain circulation in their limbs. The group was getting larger for anxious people. They finally heard, “Good Afternoon ladies and gentlemen, and little ones. Merry Christmas everyone! This is our last drawing for the year. Hope there are many winners here just waiting to claim your money.” The crowd roared their approval and said “Merry Christmas” to the platform. "Here is the first number:F C 2—4-5 Silence filled the air-- followed by some moans and groans. “I got it’ was shouted by one lady. She was holding it in the air and shaking it as she made her way through the crowd. “We got a winner. What is your name?” “Annie Bell” “Annie Bell has just won twenty-five dollars to finish her shopping.” The Mayor smiles and hands her five crisp five dollar bills. “Now our next number is: ~ ~ ~ F C - 2- 1- 3- 9” This continued until they reached the drawing of the number for the $700.00 prize. Now seven hundred dollars back then in that small town was like seven hundred thousand dollars today. The town consisted of mostly farmers, farm helpers, mill workers and small business people. For some this was their Christmas money. Small children were getting bored and needed the warmth of an extra blanket snuggled up to an adult. The sun by now had hid behind the nearby mountains. “Here is the Seven Hundred Dollar number. “This is the very last call for this year. Good luck to all, and be careful going home. Are you ready? ? ?” “Yeah, hurry up.” said an elder man with little clothing on and no shoes as he held one ticket in his hand. Everyone laughs with anxiety. “Okay, here is the last number……F……C……0……0……2……5.” “Oh, my GOD in Heaven, I have it.” Who had the Big Drawing Prize? Who was giving GOD praise for their winning. One-by-one the town folk separated making an opening for the winner---The winner passed by these people, they laid their hand on him;------ congratulating him, as he made his way to the platform. Yes, him, the elder gentleman without warm clothing in the teens weather. As they waited for the verification of the winning number, the council asked him, “What do you want to do with the money, thinking surely he would say, “Jacket and shoes.” "My neighbor does not have any food for their six children. I want to buy them some food, a cord of wood, and the little babes some warm clothes and a couple toys each.” A hush filled the air, until they heard, ”Randall, you don’t worry about the food. My store will supply their needs for a year, including cleaning supplies.” This was the grocer. Then the clothing storeowner said, “It has been a good year. We will clothe the whole family from head to foot, including work clothes, school clothes, and church clothes.” With no one bulging from their spot, they then heard a kind farmer vow to give them ”wood for the rest of the cold season.” The elder man had rivers of tears running down his face with the love shown by his neighbors. Then he thought, ”All I need to buy them is toys.” Just like the LORD for at that exact moment a District Manager from a famous Five & Dime store (she, from another state, was visiting family, a week early) declares with her gentle voice, “We shall supply the toys for the children as well as the school supplies for the rest of the school year.” The elder man burst out in sobs as he heard all the generosity of those loving people and merchants, and what they were doing out of their blessings for a goody ear. He tried several times to speak but his words froze in his mouth. The mayor laying his hands upon the shoulders of this man said, “Randall, you have truly shown the Christmas spirit in giving out of sacrifice. The town knows of your love for church and how you would like an electric guitar to sing and play for the LORD.

"Well, use the money to buy yourself a vehicle to get you to church, we will buy you two suits of clothing, shoes, jackets; and that guitar from the music store down the street here.

"Now you can bless the LORD with your presence and singing as well as the surrounding churches. We have heard you love singing your songs.

"Your heart proved that if you give it will be given unto you.” All went home feeling they had been an indirect part of being the winner this year.

Maybe they didn’t win the money, but they purchased merchandise toward these prizes that were won. They were all happy to be a part of such a loving town.

MERRY CHRISTMAS, ALL!

Tags: Christmas, Giving, Caring Hearts

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