Gratitude

Ok - where do I start?

I needed a pair of boots - badly. Anyone who lives in Chicago during the winter or anywhere for that matter who has to live in snow knows that boots are a must. Well I haven't owned a pair of boots in a LONG time - don't ask me how I did without. I just made do I guess by going through a yearly ritual of thawing my toes out every now and then...

Anyway...I went to Woodfield mall yesterday on the hunt for a pair of "stylish" boots with full winter function. Hard to find! But I finally did find them! They were so cute AND on sale. Black, tall, just cute...well then my two boys fell in love with Cars Lightning McQueen & Tomater slippers (also on 50% sale) and then I found the perfect wallet for my husband for Christmas on sale too. He really needs one. His current wallet is begging to be put out of its misery.

Well - it all came out to $70. Not bad at all. But on a one income family of 5, $70 is not pocket change.

So I hang the bag off of the stroller excited about my super finds and was off onto the next adventure at the playarea. The kids were so excited and had a great time for an hour while I nursed baby Sophia. When all was done and they were moving like sloths because they were so exhausted, we left and went on over to Sears where I found an even cuter pair of boots! When I looked for my bag to compare the boots I had found at JcPenny, the bag....where's the bag? WHERE IS THE BAG!!! Someone lifted my bag off of my stroller while I sat with the kids at the playarea. Isn't that nice?

I walked the mall for over 1 1/2 hours hoping that I accidentally "dropped' the bag somewhere in the mall and didn't notice...no such luck. Then I remembered that I had hung the bag off of one of Sophia's teething rings that are made to hang off of her carseat handle. Well the ring wasn't on the stroller either - and THAT I had to stretch out to fit on the handle...sooooo the bag didn't fall off, it was pull off - TEETHING RING AND ALL.

I was robbed. Oh well what to do?

As I made my way back to where I left my kids with my girlfriend (Janice, love her!), I see...

little Benny (almost 3yrs old) saw me coming and started running towards me with a HUGE smile saying "Mommyyyyy!" Right there I KNEW that those things I purchased and lost didn't matter and I thanked God right then and there that I wasn't searching for one of my children! Oh I cannot tell you what a huge moment of gratitude I experienced. It was like a tsunami of thankfulness hit me.

I pray that the person that stole from me will find some conviction in their heart and ask for forgiveness - not from me though...I cannot save their soul. But from God. I have already forgiven them.

I found out also that I wasn't the only victim that day either...