paper to decorate a box to put under the Christmas tree.
Nevertheless, the little girl brought the gift box to her mother the next morning and said, ‘This is for you, Momma.’ The mother was embarrassed by her earlier over reaction but her anger flared again when she opened the box and found it was empty. She spoke to her daughter in a harsh manner. ‘Don’t you know, young lady, when you give someone a present there’s supposed to be something inside the package?’ She had tears in her eyes and said, ‘Oh Momma, it’s not empty! I blew kisses into it until it was full.’ The mother was crushed. She fell to her knees and put her arms around the little girl and she begged her for forgiveness for her thoughtless anger.
An accident took the life of the child only a short time later, and it is told that the mother kept that gold box by her bed for all the years of her life. Whenever she was discouraged or faced difficult problems, she would open the box and take out an imaginary kiss and remember the love of a child who had put it there. In a very real sense, each of us, as human beings, have been given a Golden box filled with unconditional love and kisses from our children, family, friends, and God. There is no more precious possession anyone can hold.
____________________
A little girl went to her bedroom and pulled a glass jelly jar from its
hiding place in the closet. She poured all the change out on the floor
and counted it carefully. Three times, even. The total had to be exactly
perfect. No chance here for mistakes. carefully placing the coins back
in the jar and twisting on the cap, she slipped out the back door and
made her way 6 blocks to Rexall’s Drug Store with the big red Indian
Chief sign above the door. She waited patiently for the pharmacist to
give her some attention but he was too busy at the moment. Tess twisted
her feet to make a scuffing noise. Nothing. She cleared her throat with
the most disgusting sound she could muster. No good. Finally she took
a quarter from her jar and banged it on the glass counter. That did it!
‘And what do you want?’ the pharmacist asked in an annoyed
tone of voice. ‘I’m talking to my brother from Chicago whom
I haven’t seen in ages,’ he said without waiting for a reply
to his question. ‘Well, I want to talk to you about my brother,’
Tess answered back in the same annoyed tone. ‘He’s really,
really sick…and I want to buy a miracle.’ ‘I beg your
pardon?’ said the pharmacist. ‘His name is Andrew and he has
something bad growing inside his head and my daddy says only a miracle
can save him now. So how much does a miracle cost?’ ‘We don’t
sell miracles here, little girl. I’m sorry but I can’t help
you,’ the pharmacist said, softening a little. ‘Listen, I
have the money to pay for it. If it isn’t enough, I will get the
rest. Just tell me how much it costs.’ The pharmacists brother was
a well dressed man. He stooped down and asked the little girl, ‘what
kind of miracle does your brother need?’ ‘I don’t know,’
Tess replied with her eyes welling up. ‘I just know he’s really
sick and Mommy says he needs an operation. But my Daddy can’t pay
for it, so I want to use my money.’ ‘How much do you have?’
asked the man from Chicago. ‘One dollar and eleven cents,’
Tess answered barely audible. ‘And it’s all the money I have,
but I can get some more if I need to.’ ‘Well, what a coincidence,’
smiled the man. ‘A dollar and eleven cents – the exact price
of a miracle for little brothers.’ He took her money in one hand
and with the other he grasped her mitten and said, ‘take me to where
you live. I want to see your brother and meet your parents. Let’s
see if I have the kind of miracle you need.’
That well dressed man was Dr Carlton Armstrong, surgeon, specializing
in neuro-surgery. The operation was completed without charge and it wasn’t
long until Andrew was home again and doing well. Mom and Dad were happily
talking about the chain of events that had led them to this place. ‘That
surgery,’ her Mom whispered, ‘was a real miracle. I wonder
how much it would have cost?’ Tess smiled. She knew exactly how
much a miracle cost…one dollar and eleven cents…plus the faith
of a little child. A miracle is not the suspension of natural law, but
the operation of a higher law… (A TRUE STORY) I know you’ll
keep the ball moving! Here it goes. Throw it back to someone else who
means something to you. The friendship Ball. A ball is a circle, no beginning,
no end. It keeps us together like our Circle of Friends. But the treasure
inside for you to see is the treasure of friendship you’ve granted
to me. Today I pass the friendship ball to you.
MY OATH TO YOU
When you are sad…I will dry your tears.
When you are scared…I will comfort your fears.
When you are worried…I will give you hope.
When you are confused…I will help you cope.
And when you are lost…And can’t see the light.
I shall be your beacon…Shining ever so bright.
This is my oath…I pledge till the end.
Why you may ask?…Because you’re my friend.
