Latest / The Wholehearted Enneagram Podcast / The Redemption of Mrs. Scrooge (A Tale to Inspire Generosity This Christmas Season)

Transcript

The Redemption of Mrs. Scrooge (A Tale to Inspire Generosity This Christmas Season) · The Wholehearted Enneagram Podcast

0:00
SPEAKER_00: Merry Christmas, friend.
0:02
SPEAKER_00: How has this holiday season been for you so far?
0:05
SPEAKER_00: How are you really doing?
0:08
SPEAKER_00: I know this season is nuanced, always, right?
0:11
SPEAKER_00: And it's often layered for many of us.
0:14
SPEAKER_00: And as you've tuned in every week throughout the last several months, I hope that you've walked away with practical application to make this year's advent one of peace, along with smiles and laughter, which has added a little bit to your joy.
0:28
SPEAKER_00: Today I'm continuing this season of celebration with an episode that you may have heard before, but a shiny newly recorded and edited second edition version.
0:39
SPEAKER_00: I've brought back my first fictional tale, read in dramatic fashion, to help usher in the spirit of celebration and generosity this Christmas.
0:49
SPEAKER_00: And this one is also safe and entertaining for the whole family, so you can enjoy it as you travel or shop together this holiday season.
0:58
SPEAKER_00: In 2019 is when I first had a vision for writing a project that would be a little different from my typical genre, so I could share a freedom message through story.
1:08
SPEAKER_00: Now it's not a story that you are completely unfamiliar with, but sometimes those classic stories reimagined can take us back to a season of innocence, joy, and freedom.
1:20
SPEAKER_00: Also, if you listened last week to the fiction episode and the characters were new to you, this week you're going to hear some of those same names again.
1:29
SPEAKER_00: But I'm winding back the clock in time, just a wee bit, so Jade and her kids are a little bit younger than they were last week.
1:37
SPEAKER_00: Thank you, dear friend, for allowing me to share this Christmas season with you, along with these fiction pieces that are near and dear to my heart.
1:46
SPEAKER_00: It truly means the world to me that we could share the season of Advent together.
1:57
SPEAKER_00: Her face went grim as she looked up from her budget spreadsheet and saw the trees beginning to sway with the wind gusts, and tiny white flakes drifting down like unwanted dandruff.
2:09
SPEAKER_00: Unwelcomed, just like the medical bills, extra grocery expenses, and higher than average utility bills from the last month's early freeze.
2:20
SPEAKER_00: Kids, get your coats on.
2:22
SPEAKER_00: We need to run to Bullseye Market before this weather gets any worse.
2:26
SPEAKER_00: Jade ordered her kids with an edge of annoyance in her tone.
2:30
SPEAKER_00: Um Mom, I don't want to go.
2:32
SPEAKER_00: Can I stay here?
2:34
SPEAKER_00: Sayla, her oldest, whined, twirling her long dark hair with one finger, without looking up from the stack of homework.
2:41
SPEAKER_00: Hallie, don't hit me.
2:44
SPEAKER_00: Mason, her youngest child, screeched from the other room.
2:48
SPEAKER_00: Mom, Mason took my hat.
2:51
SPEAKER_00: Tell him to give it back.
2:53
SPEAKER_00: Hallie's blonde top knot shook furiously as she marched with enough force to shake the whole house.
3:01
SPEAKER_00: No, that's mine.
3:03
SPEAKER_00: I want it demanded Mason.
3:06
SPEAKER_00: His gingly adolescent legs flowed in hot pursuit.
3:10
SPEAKER_00: Jade's patience was wearing thin.
3:12
SPEAKER_00: She bit her tongue from the sharp reply, and instead she gathered her purse and gloves and headed to the garage.
3:20
SPEAKER_00: Join me or stay, it's up to you, but I need to get out of this house.
3:26
SPEAKER_00: Just then, the deep toll of the sometimes working doorbell rang through the house as a cheerful knock sounded at the door.
3:34
SPEAKER_00: With a cautious glance through the nearby window, Jade hesitated.
3:38
SPEAKER_00: She debated about ignoring the unwelcome interruption, but instead decided to throw open the door to tell the two Boy Scouts waiting for an answer, no thanks.
3:47
SPEAKER_00: Before she could give her refusal, the young adolescent boys, not much older than her Mason, jumped into their sales presentation.
3:55
SPEAKER_00: Hello, ma'am, we're raising money for Troop seven seven seven so we can purchase hot meals for the homeless this holiday season.
4:02
SPEAKER_00: Would you consider purchasing a tin of popcorn?
4:05
SPEAKER_00: The first boy barely caught his breath before the second one joined in.
4:09
SPEAKER_00: We have three flavors available.
4:11
SPEAKER_00: You can get a variety pack.
4:12
SPEAKER_00: It'll be here in time for Christmas, and it would make a nice gift for a teacher or something.
4:16
SPEAKER_00: Their hopeful eyes blinked wide as they expected a positive reply.
4:21
SPEAKER_00: With the struggle over the hat happening between Mason and Hallie in the other room, Jade let her frustration come out on the young dogooders at her door.
4:30
SPEAKER_00: Popcorn costs pennies to make, and you want me to pay twenty dollars for a tin of stale GMO popcorn?
4:36
SPEAKER_00: Thanks, but no thanks.
4:38
SPEAKER_00: She shut the door, struggling with the lock as the two boys walked back down the path to their street, bracing against the wind and their heads hanging low.
4:46
SPEAKER_00: Jade was about to yell at the kids one last time to join her for her spur of the moment errand, but looking up from the stubborn deadbolt, she saw all three of them lined up with coats and hats, looking almost eager to join her on her errand.
4:59
SPEAKER_00: She gathered herself and instructed her three suddenly obedient children.
5:04
SPEAKER_00: Get in the car, and if there is any fighting over the front seat, you are staying here.
5:09
SPEAKER_00: As they backed out of the driveway, Sayla grabbed Jade's phone.
5:12
SPEAKER_00: Hey mom, can we turn on some Christmas music?
5:16
SPEAKER_00: No, I am sick of holiday music already.
5:18
SPEAKER_00: You guys have been singing carols and playing music since the beginning of November, and I need a break.
5:24
SPEAKER_00: Jade surprised herself with the frustrated reply, but she dug in her heels and decided she wasn't about to change her answer or apologize for her grumpy attitude.
5:33
SPEAKER_00: Shocked that there was no arguing from her oldest or talking back, the 10-minute drive was filled with a rare silence.
5:41
SPEAKER_00: Parking the van as close to the front entrance of Bullseye's market as possible, Jade gathered her returns from the trunk.
5:48
SPEAKER_00: All four of them filed out of the car and headed to the automatic store doors.
5:52
SPEAKER_00: Accompanied by the clinging of the handbell, the Salvation Army volunteer was ringing.
5:57
SPEAKER_00: Care to spare some change for the needy this holiday season?
6:02
SPEAKER_00: The worker called out to those rushing in and out of the doors beside her.
6:06
SPEAKER_00: Wrapped head to toe in woolen winter wear, her sparkling blue eyes peeked through the wraps and caught Jade's stormy look.
6:14
SPEAKER_00: Mom, can I put some money in the red bucket?
6:17
SPEAKER_00: Her youngest son Mason was always asking when they walked by a red bucket, because he wanted the satisfaction of pushing the coins through the slots.
6:25
SPEAKER_00: Jade avoided the kind gaze from the bell ringer and responded just loud enough for her to hear.
6:31
SPEAKER_00: Maybe on the way out, okay, we need to get inside.
6:35
SPEAKER_00: Jade grabbed a cart and with her kids following behind her like ducklings, she headed straight to the Aspen Home Collection strategically placed by the front entrance.
6:43
SPEAKER_00: Suddenly the Christmas decor she had had for almost twenty years felt shamefully shabby, and the crisp, clean look of the decor lured her to browse aisle two.
6:54
SPEAKER_00: The kids entertained themselves as they wove in and out of the holiday selection of the stores, popping in and out of the paper supply row, picking up various items, and showing her what they now suddenly needed for a school project.
7:06
SPEAKER_00: Half distracted, she nodded and hoomed and hawed, filling her cart with new twinkle lights and greenery.
7:13
SPEAKER_00: Forgetting what she had actually come to shop for, Jade decided to head over to the grocery section to stock up on the essentials in case the flurries turned into something more.
7:23
SPEAKER_00: The pathway to the food aisles took them by the woman's clothing on one side, and the kids' fashion on the other.
7:30
SPEAKER_00: Hallie interrupted her musings.
7:32
SPEAKER_00: Mom, I almost forgot.
7:34
SPEAKER_00: Teacher says we need black pants and a red shirt for the Christmas program this Friday.
7:39
SPEAKER_00: Hallie excitedly headed towards the display with sequin blouses and leather pants.
7:45
SPEAKER_00: Oh yeah, I need a green shirt, and I have to wear jeans or I'll get a bad grade for the band performance, Mason added to the list.
7:53
SPEAKER_00: And because Mason had fought her about wearing jeans for over a year now, Jade knew there were none in his drawers at home.
8:00
SPEAKER_00: Remember, Mom, Saylor chimed in.
8:03
SPEAKER_00: I told you last month I needed a dress for the Christmas party.
8:06
SPEAKER_00: Her tone held an edge of fear that she would be overlooked.
8:11
SPEAKER_00: Jade's gaze went from left to right over the racks of clothing, with prices crowning the displays.
8:18
SPEAKER_00: She mentally calculated the cost of various items, rattled off by her three kids, and then she knew that once they got those items, they'd probably need belts, new socks, leggings, and accessories.
8:29
SPEAKER_00: As Jade calculated all of these costs in her mind, she thought about this month's budget that she had been working on before her rush to head out the door.
8:37
SPEAKER_00: Feelings of the unexpected expenses weighed heavy on her spirit, and suddenly she felt her blood pressure rise.
8:44
SPEAKER_00: It was like all the budget numbers flashed through her mind at once, and her mouth unwittingly spewed her financial frustration at her children.
8:52
SPEAKER_00: Why do you guys always tell me these things last minute?
8:55
SPEAKER_00: Do you want any Christmas gifts this year?
8:58
SPEAKER_00: You kids are always demanding new things.
9:00
SPEAKER_00: What you have in your closets is good enough, and while we're at it, you guys need to stop eating so much.
9:05
SPEAKER_00: And Hallie, did you crank up the heater?
9:07
SPEAKER_00: Last month's bill was outrageous.
9:10
SPEAKER_00: A few other customers glanced over to see who was losing it in the middle of the clothing aisle.
9:15
SPEAKER_00: Startled and embarrassed by their mom's response, all three kids shushed her.
9:21
SPEAKER_00: Jay knew this was a good moment to stop and apologize to redeem the afternoon, but the stress of her fears got the better of her.
9:29
SPEAKER_00: That's it.
9:30
SPEAKER_00: We're leaving now.
9:32
SPEAKER_00: Mam, the performances is Friday, whined Hallie.
9:36
SPEAKER_00: I don't want a bad grade, moaned Mason.
9:40
SPEAKER_00: Mommy promised me, Sayla said as she crossed her arms and gave her that look.
9:45
SPEAKER_00: The look that Jade knew she meant she was out of line and was blowing a teachable opportunity.
9:51
SPEAKER_00: Miraculously somehow they whizzed through the self-checkout line, with a staggering total from the Christmas decor overhaul from aisle one.
9:59
SPEAKER_00: Soaking in the last blast of heat at the store exit, they braced themselves as they headed back to the van.
10:06
SPEAKER_00: The faithful ringing of the Salvation Army bell accompanied their exit, and Jade knew what was coming next.
10:13
SPEAKER_00: Mom, please, you said we could something in the bucket.
10:19
SPEAKER_00: Mason was quick to remind her of the rash statement that she had made just thirty minutes earlier.
10:24
SPEAKER_00: Jade wrapped her coat tighter, looking away from her son and those all-knowing eyes of the volunteer by the red bucket.
10:32
SPEAKER_00: Not today.
10:33
SPEAKER_00: We need to get home before the snow gets any worse.
10:36
SPEAKER_00: Grumbling, Mason stuck his hands in his pocket and found a forgotten quarter, and brightening over his discovery, he ran over to the collection bucket and dropped his coin with great delight.
10:48
SPEAKER_00: On the short trip home, and while unloading her unexpected haul from aisle one, Weariness settled in like an unwelcome guest.
10:56
SPEAKER_00: Kids, help me put this stuff in the house and then we're gonna have rest time.
11:01
SPEAKER_00: We are too old for rest time.
11:04
SPEAKER_00: Can't we please watch a movie while you rest?
11:06
SPEAKER_00: We only have one more day before the muppet Christmas carols expire from our watch list.
11:12
SPEAKER_00: Knowing she didn't have any more energy for one more showdown with her kids, she nodded a reluctant yes and headed for her warm bed as all the three kids ran to see who could get the remote first.
11:24
SPEAKER_00: Suddenly, her head felt too heavy for her body and snuggled down into her soft, cool pillow.
11:31
SPEAKER_00: Jade was woken abruptly, startled by the chime from her phone alarm.
11:35
SPEAKER_00: Foggily, she tried to pick up her phone to find the time, but before she could get her fingers to the screen, an oddly familiar voice interrupted her.
11:45
SPEAKER_00: Jay, darling, it's been a while.
11:47
SPEAKER_00: We need to catch up.
11:49
SPEAKER_00: Rubbing the sleepy grip from her eyes, she couldn't believe who was sitting on the small ottoman across the bed from her.
11:55
SPEAKER_00: Aunt Jackie?
11:57
SPEAKER_00: Uh what?
11:58
SPEAKER_00: How in the Her voice trailed off, half expecting that she would wake as usually happens when you try to find your voice in a dream.
12:05
SPEAKER_00: Except for this time, that didn't work.
12:08
SPEAKER_00: Jay, dearest, her raspy voice drove on.
12:12
SPEAKER_00: I know it's been a while, but something tells me we need to have a little chat.
12:16
SPEAKER_00: Aunt Jackie crossed her legs and put a hand to her lips as if she was going to take a drag off a cigarette, but then waved it off, realizing she didn't have one in hand.
12:26
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, well, it it has been some time.
12:29
SPEAKER_00: I mean you passed away ten years ago now, right?
12:32
SPEAKER_00: Jade was wondering if she could still trust her voice.
12:36
SPEAKER_00: Yes, dear, ten years and two months.
12:39
SPEAKER_00: Golly, it's been a bit.
12:40
SPEAKER_00: Lots has happened since then, eh?
12:43
SPEAKER_00: And Jackie gave a knowing look before continuing.
12:46
SPEAKER_00: The kids are so grown, but they eat nonstop.
12:49
SPEAKER_00: And clothing these days, oh goodness, I can't imagine what that must cost.
12:53
SPEAKER_00: And what does the Christmas budget look like this year, dear?
12:57
SPEAKER_00: Jade wasn't sure why the conversation was going in this direction, but she nodded in agreement, thinking about her irrational display of frustration in the store.
13:06
SPEAKER_00: Reminding her that she had been interrupted before she checked the time, she reached out to tap her phone.
13:13
SPEAKER_00: I wouldn't do that if I were you, Aunt Jackie barked.
13:17
SPEAKER_00: Jade withdrew her hand reluctantly from her phone.
13:21
SPEAKER_00: Listen, I'm not sure what you chose to do with that decent inheritance I love to, but it's time for me to take account.
13:28
SPEAKER_00: With a quick shake of her head to clear the mental kobuts, Jade remembered the generous gift left by her aunt all those years ago.
13:36
SPEAKER_00: Oh, Aunt Jackie, I I almost forgot all about that.
13:40
SPEAKER_00: And Jade allowed herself to go down memory lane and revisit that momentous occasion.
13:46
SPEAKER_00: Jade once again tried to clear the cotton feeling from her throat as she sat up straighter.
13:51
SPEAKER_00: Well, I actually don't know if you knew at the time, but when you passed away, we were working really hard to get out of debt.
13:58
SPEAKER_00: Mason had just been born, and there was so little I could do to climb out of her mount of debt.
14:03
SPEAKER_00: And though we were sad to have you pass, what you left behind made such a difference.
14:09
SPEAKER_00: Jade teared up over the memory, remembering the wave of relief that she had experienced all those years ago.
14:16
SPEAKER_00: Darling, I'm so glad to hear it.
14:18
SPEAKER_00: I worked so hard to accumulate my safety net during my short time here on Earth.
14:23
SPEAKER_00: I didn't have many friends or close family near the end, but I'm glad someone could benefit from all my stashing away.
14:30
SPEAKER_00: Remorse thickened Aunt Jackie's voice.
14:33
SPEAKER_00: Oh yes, we paid off the last bit of our debt, and then we stashed the rest away for emergency fun.
14:40
SPEAKER_00: Jade recounted the steps that they had taken to improve their financial life.
14:45
SPEAKER_00: Well done, darling.
14:47
SPEAKER_00: Yes, it sounds like you made great use of my gift.
14:49
SPEAKER_00: I'm glad to hear it.
14:51
SPEAKER_00: Now how about these last few years?
14:53
SPEAKER_00: Has Sam done a good job of providing for you?
14:56
SPEAKER_00: Aunt Jackie looked hard at Jade, searching to see if there was any fault to be found in her nephew-in-law.
15:03
SPEAKER_00: Oh, absolutely.
15:04
SPEAKER_00: I mean he is such a hard worker, and we've come a long way since then.
15:08
SPEAKER_00: We save for all our cars, we pay for the kids that go to a good school, and we even have enough for expenses than the recent medical bills.
15:16
SPEAKER_00: But Aunt Jackie, I just hate spending money on things like that.
15:19
SPEAKER_00: You know, it would just be more fun to keep saving, and then I wouldn't have a care in the world.
15:25
SPEAKER_00: Jade perked up over this thought as she threw off the blanket, ready to step into her slippers.
15:30
SPEAKER_00: Aunt Jackie stopped her again.
15:33
SPEAKER_00: Just stay right there, darling.
15:34
SPEAKER_00: Don't be in such a hurry for your little nap to be over.
15:38
SPEAKER_00: Feeling like a child who had just been scolded, Jade meekly settled back under the covers.
15:44
SPEAKER_00: You know, I used to feel the same as you, dear.
15:47
SPEAKER_00: I was driven by the need to feel secure, and when I looked at my bank account, it made me feel better.
15:52
SPEAKER_00: But it wasn't always that way.
15:55
SPEAKER_00: First, I had to put so much effort into building my business so I could have fun doing what I thought I wanted to do.
16:02
SPEAKER_00: And I was going to give most of it away, but somehow that changed.
16:07
SPEAKER_00: I worked and I saved and I worked and I saved.
16:10
SPEAKER_00: But my desire for security caused me to lose good friends, even my sweet and generous husband.
16:17
SPEAKER_00: Aunt Jackie walked toward the bedroom door.
16:20
SPEAKER_00: If you aren't careful, darling, you'll end up a lot like me.
16:25
SPEAKER_00: What what do you mean?
16:26
SPEAKER_00: I I don't think I'm like you.
16:28
SPEAKER_00: Jade quickly regretted the words that she said, knowing that her statement was probably insulting.
16:34
SPEAKER_00: With a raspy cackle, Aunt Jackie made her dramatic exit.
16:38
SPEAKER_00: Well, darling, we'll see.
16:40
SPEAKER_00: You will be visited by three messengers, and you must pay attention or end up as alone and miserable as I was.
16:47
SPEAKER_00: And then suddenly, she was gone.
16:50
SPEAKER_00: Jade shook her head with puzzlement and lay back down on the pillow, hoping to forget it all.
16:55
SPEAKER_00: Without checking the time on her phone, she rolled over and closed her eyes.
17:01
SPEAKER_00: The muffled chime from her phone alarm woke her, and she sleepily fell around on her covers to try to stop the noise.
17:08
SPEAKER_00: Still searching for her phone, she opened her eyes and then shot up straight in bed, shocked to see her youngest sister sitting close by.
17:17
SPEAKER_00: Joy, what are you doing here?
17:20
SPEAKER_00: Eyes focusing a little bit better, she blinked again.
17:22
SPEAKER_00: Wait a minute, Joy, you look so young.
17:25
SPEAKER_00: Why do you look exactly like you did when you were ten?
17:28
SPEAKER_00: Hey yourself, sis.
17:30
SPEAKER_00: You aren't looking too bad for forty either.
17:33
SPEAKER_00: Though you could use refresher on your hair color.
17:36
SPEAKER_00: Joy plopped down beside her, looking ready to snuggle in for a sleepover.
17:40
SPEAKER_00: Okay, now please explain to me what is going on.
17:43
SPEAKER_00: You're acting like everything is normal, but this, you?
17:46
SPEAKER_00: You're you look like your ten-year-old self, and suddenly you're sitting here with me in my bed, and you teach at a school in another state.
17:54
SPEAKER_00: This is not right.
17:55
SPEAKER_00: Something is wrong here.
17:57
SPEAKER_00: Jade tried to calm herself while she waited for what she hoped would be a perfectly rational explanation.
18:04
SPEAKER_00: Joy flashed a cheeky grin.
18:06
SPEAKER_00: You're correct.
18:07
SPEAKER_00: This is not normal, and neither was your behavior today.
18:11
SPEAKER_00: My goodness, what has gone into you?
18:13
SPEAKER_00: Have you suddenly become Ebenezer Scrooge?
18:16
SPEAKER_00: Jade flinched as she thought about her irrational behavior just a few hours earlier.
18:20
SPEAKER_00: Or wait a minute, was it minutes?
18:24
SPEAKER_00: Well, you see, I've been working on the budget and the expenses the last few months have gotten really high.
18:30
SPEAKER_00: You know, inflation.
18:31
SPEAKER_00: I didn't want to have to dip in the savings.
18:34
SPEAKER_00: Her excuses were cut off by joy.
18:36
SPEAKER_00: Whoa, sis, you have savings?
18:39
SPEAKER_00: Look at you.
18:40
SPEAKER_00: Three kids, a mortgage, private school traveling, and medical expenses, and you still have savings?
18:45
SPEAKER_00: Gosh, a way to go! Why aren't you celebrating?
18:48
SPEAKER_00: Try relaxing a little.
18:50
SPEAKER_00: Geez, you've gotten so uptight.
18:53
SPEAKER_00: With a flip of her long brown hair, she turned and looked at Jade, with her nose all crinkled up and her tongue pointing out at her.
19:00
SPEAKER_00: You little punk, what do you know?
19:02
SPEAKER_00: Jade crossed her arms, feeling provoked.
19:05
SPEAKER_00: Joy wiped the smirk off her face and looked at Jade with complete seriousness.
19:10
SPEAKER_00: Sister, you're gonna end up grumpy and alone, but I am here to help you.
19:14
SPEAKER_00: Are you ready?
19:16
SPEAKER_00: Come with me so you may become a more generous woman.
19:20
SPEAKER_00: Wait, ready for what?
19:22
SPEAKER_00: Go where?
19:24
SPEAKER_00: No sooner had the words left her mouth than suddenly Jade and Joy were in the living room of their childhood home.
19:30
SPEAKER_00: Oh look, there's papa and grandma, Jade whispered as she took in the surroundings of her memory.
19:36
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and and check out Brother Ben, he's over there in the corner not looking so good.
19:42
SPEAKER_00: Jade replied with a normal pitch, seemingly comfortable that they were in someplace familiar from long ago.
19:48
SPEAKER_00: Remember that Christmas?
19:50
SPEAKER_00: Papa and grandma were in town, and we all got the stomach flu.
19:54
SPEAKER_00: I think it started with Ben on Christmas Eve, and then each of us got sick.
19:58
SPEAKER_00: Ugh, yes, that was terrible.
20:01
SPEAKER_00: I definitely don't ever want to repeat that.
20:04
SPEAKER_00: Jade grimaced at the unpleasant memory.
20:07
SPEAKER_00: Oh yes, but remember what your gift was for me?
20:10
SPEAKER_00: Joy clapped her hands with joyful innocence.
20:13
SPEAKER_00: You worked all those jobs that year just to buy everyone in the family the biggest thing on their wish lists, and I wanted a colonial era bet for my favorite heritage doll.
20:23
SPEAKER_00: She looked at Jade, waiting for her to delight in the memory as much as she was.
20:28
SPEAKER_00: Do you remember?
20:29
SPEAKER_00: Do you remember?
20:30
SPEAKER_00: And slowly, the memory came back to Jade.
20:34
SPEAKER_00: She remembered how she had worked part-time hours at a local bookstore and babysat on the weekends for months on end with the goal of buying the best Christmas gifts that year.
20:43
SPEAKER_00: She remembered how her desire for generosity drove and delighted her.
20:47
SPEAKER_00: And that Christmas, despite the sickness, it was one of her favorites.
20:52
SPEAKER_00: The months of planning and thinking of others, and picking out that perfect gift brought her so much joy.
20:59
SPEAKER_00: Oh yeah, that was a beautiful canopy bed, if I do say so myself.
21:04
SPEAKER_00: Jade thought about the lovely fabric that she had sewn into pillows and even a coverlet for her sister.
21:09
SPEAKER_00: I really think it was my favorite gift to give, because I secretly wished I wasn't too old for something like that.
21:16
SPEAKER_00: She smiled at Joy over their shared memory, but suddenly, as she blinked, she opened her eyes and she found herself in another home of her young adult memory.
21:25
SPEAKER_00: It was a familiar home, packed with her husband's family, cousin, aunts, and uncles.
21:30
SPEAKER_00: It was loud and chaotic.
21:32
SPEAKER_00: The Christmas cheer was palatable.
21:35
SPEAKER_00: Here, Aunt Jade, another gift for you.
21:39
SPEAKER_00: Her redheaded nephew added another gift to the pile in front of her.
21:44
SPEAKER_00: Jade remembered how overwhelmed she felt.
21:47
SPEAKER_00: Not because of the noise and celebration, but because it was her first Christmas with her new husband's family, and her pile of gifts were probably the highest of the bunch.
21:55
SPEAKER_00: Everyone had been so accepting of her, welcoming her into the family as if they were.
22:00
SPEAKER_00: They had always known her.
22:01
SPEAKER_00: She remembered the joking and the feasting to celebrate God's goodness.
22:05
SPEAKER_00: Laughter and lightness filled her memory, and as she blinked again, she opened her eyes to see herself in the one bedroom apartment where she and her husband had spent their early years of marriage.
22:16
SPEAKER_00: It was darker than the last two places, and there was a feeling of heaviness in the room, and the light seemed to grow dim.
22:23
SPEAKER_00: There she was in her late twenties on the well-worn couch, holding her firstborn, Sela, as a newborn baby wrapped in pink.
22:32
SPEAKER_00: But tears of the jade from then were threatening to spill.
22:38
SPEAKER_00: Jade had remembered that those tears were not about the delight of new life in her arms.
22:43
SPEAKER_00: It was because the economic downturn had greatly impacted their finances and life.
22:48
SPEAKER_00: In the end, everything had worked out fine.
22:51
SPEAKER_00: The hospital lowered their medical bills, they got surprised checks in the mail, and they both had gotten enough freelance jobs to make it work.
22:58
SPEAKER_00: But Jade had been so worried.
23:00
SPEAKER_00: She had fretted the whole time that they weren't going to have what they needed.
23:03
SPEAKER_00: She had let the fear of not having enough steal from what was a precious stage of life.
23:09
SPEAKER_00: Anxiety and fear overshadowed her baby's first Christmas, as well as the news of her second pregnancy.
23:15
SPEAKER_00: And even when their finances began to take a turn for the better, Jade couldn't find room for gratitude because she was fearful of what might happen in the future.
23:24
SPEAKER_00: She hadn't enjoyed the present and had ignored all the ways the Lord had repeatedly taken care of them.
23:30
SPEAKER_00: Jade wished that she had rested in the truth that they would always have what they needed, when they needed it.
23:35
SPEAKER_00: Instead, she had let worry and fear consume her thoughts.
23:40
SPEAKER_00: Regret made her throat tighten, and just as she was about to ask Joy to get her out of those painful places, she suddenly found herself alone in the comfort of her own bed.
23:53
SPEAKER_00: That annoying alarm was going off along with the vibration of their phone.
23:57
SPEAKER_00: She could feel it, she could hear it, but she could not seem to find it.
24:00
SPEAKER_00: Looking to the other side of the bed, she jumped out of her skin when she noticed a woman covered head to toe in woolen wraps standing beside her.
24:09
SPEAKER_00: Who are you?
24:10
SPEAKER_00: Jade was ready to jump into action and defend her home, possibly her life.
24:15
SPEAKER_00: But then she recognized her.
24:17
SPEAKER_00: Hey, it's you, the volunteer ringing the bell in front of Bullseye Market.
24:22
SPEAKER_00: The figure just stood there, looking at her with those piercing blue eyes, and she motioned her forward.
24:29
SPEAKER_00: Come with me so that you may become a more generous woman.
24:34
SPEAKER_00: As Jade started to step into her slippers one more time and follow the woman's lead, she was suddenly at the City Mission downtown.
24:42
SPEAKER_00: The ruckus of laughter, metal spoons hitting metal pans, and smells of savory and sweet filled the room.
24:48
SPEAKER_00: She knew they were preparing the Christmas meal for those who had nowhere else to go for that holiday.
24:54
SPEAKER_00: Jade had served at City Mission many years, but somehow she had forgotten to make it fit into her schedule the last few years.
25:02
SPEAKER_00: She had fully intended to take the kids so they could participate in giving to others and provide some perspective on their personal abundance, but somehow she just hadn't been able to make it happen.
25:13
SPEAKER_00: Jade made her way around the kitchen, somehow unseen by the people around her.
25:18
SPEAKER_00: She smiled over the memories of preparing the meals with the other volunteers.
25:22
SPEAKER_00: They had had so much fun together from the joy of service.
25:25
SPEAKER_00: The thanks that she received from the men and women they served meals to that day had made her feel like she was the one getting something really special.
25:33
SPEAKER_00: Jade curiously followed the bundle of woolen wraps to a room just around the corner, which was almost as loud as the first.
25:41
SPEAKER_00: Shoeboxes were stacked up high on a table, and boxes of new crayons, trinkets, and toys.
25:47
SPEAKER_00: Kids and adults alike were coming through the door, bringing in grocery sacks filled with stuffed animals, soccer balls, and even brand new clothing.
25:54
SPEAKER_00: Jade had participated to fill a shoebox for children programs since she was a teenager herself.
26:00
SPEAKER_00: It just seemed that the cutoff day got earlier and earlier every year until she had forgotten about it completely.
26:05
SPEAKER_00: When her kids were really young, she had enjoyed taking them with her to pick out the toys and needed items for other children around the world.
26:12
SPEAKER_00: Each of her kids had been thrilled to write notes and talk about what they thought the other kids in other countries would think about the Christmas gifts that they had chosen.
26:21
SPEAKER_00: The mysterious woman was beside her again, and as she blinked, she opened to find herself in a new room, though this one was unfamiliar to Jade.
26:30
SPEAKER_00: A well worn futon was pushed against the back wall, a beanbag just across from it, and one window with broken shades let in a single beam of dusky light.
26:40
SPEAKER_00: There was a young woman sitting on the floor with two adorable children, a girl about Sayla's age and a boy who wasn't more than six or seven.
26:48
SPEAKER_00: Mamma, do you think Santa's gonna come this year?
26:52
SPEAKER_00: The little girl toyed with the bead at the end of her braid and looked at the empty space under their crooked, unadorned evergreen tree, littered with dead pine needles.
27:00
SPEAKER_00: Oh, sweetie, Santa always comes somehow, but we never know what he can afford for us this year.
27:08
SPEAKER_00: The woman who couldn't have even been more than thirty, suddenly looked ten years older as her shoulders sunk even lower.
27:14
SPEAKER_00: Well, mamma, at church I saw that they put my name on the tree near the front doors, and a nice lady asked me what I wanted for Christmas.
27:21
SPEAKER_00: I saw her write it on a note.
27:23
SPEAKER_00: Her brown eyes got even bigger as she remembered what she had asked for.
27:27
SPEAKER_00: Jade had seen that tree in the front lobby of the church.
27:31
SPEAKER_00: She had even walked by it several times, meaning to grab a tag off the branch.
27:35
SPEAKER_00: But again, somehow it just hadn't happened.
27:38
SPEAKER_00: Timmy, did someone ask you what you wanted for Christmas?
27:42
SPEAKER_00: The single mom was grateful for the ministry at their church, which did their best to take care of them.
27:48
SPEAKER_00: But with her son going in and out of the hospital, she had little chance to reply to the email asking for wish list ideas.
27:55
SPEAKER_00: Yes, mamma, I told the lady I would be happy all day if there was no more doctor visits and lots of snow on Christmas.
28:05
SPEAKER_00: As the young boy shared his list with his mom, Jade could see that his energy wasn't typical of a boy his age, as his answers seemed to tire him, and then she noted the medical band around his wrist.
28:17
SPEAKER_00: Darlins, it is time to go to bed.
28:20
SPEAKER_00: One more story, and it's sleepy time for you.
28:23
SPEAKER_00: The weary young woman gathered up the frail boy to carry him to the other room.
28:28
SPEAKER_00: I love you, Mama.
28:30
SPEAKER_00: Thank you.
28:32
SPEAKER_00: The boy stroked his mom's cheek with such tenderness, Jade started to choke back tears.
28:37
SPEAKER_00: I want to hear the baby Jesus story again.
28:42
SPEAKER_00: The conversation faded as they went down the hallway, and Jade was startled to find herself once again in the familiarity of her bed in her own home.
28:54
SPEAKER_00: Where was her phone?
28:55
SPEAKER_00: Why on earth could she not find it?
28:58
SPEAKER_00: Jade got on her hands and knees, throwing pillows and pulling back the bed covers when she felt another's presence in the room.
29:04
SPEAKER_00: Turning around slowly, Jade saw a dark cloud.
29:08
SPEAKER_00: Only it wasn't a cloud exactly.
29:11
SPEAKER_00: It was an indistinguishable shape that seemed to breathe and shapeshift to an unknown rhythm.
29:18
SPEAKER_00: Come with me so that you may become a more generous woman.
29:24
SPEAKER_00: She had heard that phrase from Joy in the woolen wrapped volunteer, but this time it sounded foreboding and onimous.
29:31
SPEAKER_00: She shuddered visibly and instinctively knew that she did not want to go with this thing.
29:36
SPEAKER_00: But involuntarily, she was pulled from the disarray of her bed and into the darkness of the misty form.
29:42
SPEAKER_00: Like her previous two journeys, in a moment Jade was transported outside the familiarity of her room and bed.
29:48
SPEAKER_00: Now, she and this dark figure were in what seemed to be a dorm hall.
29:53
SPEAKER_00: There was a buzz of young energy and activity, odd smells and college age students going in and out of rooms, hollering and high-fiving one another.
30:02
SPEAKER_00: Jade and this mysterious figure walked straight through a closed door directly in front of them, and though Jade didn't feel a thing, what rattled her more was what she was seeing in front of her.
30:14
SPEAKER_00: It was her oldest daughter, Selah, but maybe six years in the future, lounging on a worn down leather couch surrounded by other college freshmen, settled in on woven footstools, bean bags, and a bright green rug.
30:28
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, I'm dreading Christmas this year.
30:32
SPEAKER_00: Jade was surprised to hear Sayla's voice sounding more mature and developed.
30:36
SPEAKER_00: But why?
30:38
SPEAKER_00: The blonde in the bright orange bag snapped her gum and flipped another page in her magazine.
30:43
SPEAKER_00: My mom gets so cranky this time of year.
30:46
SPEAKER_00: Sayla's brow furrowed and lips pursed.
30:48
SPEAKER_00: The holiday should be super fun, right?
30:50
SPEAKER_00: And like lighthearted.
30:52
SPEAKER_00: But I think she gets so stressed about all the money and like all the things that she has to do.
30:57
SPEAKER_00: She just sparks at us and makes us feel bad about wanting gifts.
31:01
SPEAKER_00: I totally know what you mean.
31:04
SPEAKER_00: Another young woman with braids and dark brown complexion continued.
31:08
SPEAKER_00: Christmas was always when my mama would work extra hours to try to give us something special, but it was my little brother's most favorite time of year.
31:17
SPEAKER_00: Selah looked up from her sketchbook with a knowing look.
31:20
SPEAKER_00: I bet you miss Timmy a lot, like, especially during these holidays.
31:26
SPEAKER_00: We all do, you know, it just hasn't been the same since he's been gone.
31:30
SPEAKER_00: It's like all my happiness left my mama.
31:32
SPEAKER_00: I mean, I'm still here and I know she loves me, but Timmy was something special.
31:38
SPEAKER_00: Such sweetness and tenderness.
31:40
SPEAKER_00: Tears filled her brown eyes as she tried to smile through them.
31:44
SPEAKER_00: And Sayla looked remorseful.
31:47
SPEAKER_00: I am so sorry.
31:49
SPEAKER_00: My situation, you know, like it doesn't seem all that bad, especially when I remember what you all are like dealing with.
31:57
SPEAKER_00: I understand, though, because you all have each other, right?
32:00
SPEAKER_00: And you want your mama to enjoy all that she can, especially when you can be all together, right?
32:06
SPEAKER_00: I still think Timmy could have gotten better if we had just had the right doctors and enough money to pay for all the treatments he needed.
32:13
SPEAKER_00: And that's why I'm gonna specialize in the study of rare diseases and start a clinic where anyone can get help.
32:19
SPEAKER_00: I don't want anyone else to suffer as we did.
32:24
SPEAKER_00: I think you're gonna make an amazing physician, Jasmine.
32:27
SPEAKER_00: But like, I wish I had known all those years ago.
32:30
SPEAKER_00: I would have like given all my money to help you out.
32:34
SPEAKER_00: I know you would have, and maybe if my mama hadn't been so afraid to ask, people like you would have been willing to help.
32:41
SPEAKER_00: Jasmine shook off the regret and looked at Sayla.
32:46
SPEAKER_00: So, what are you gonna do about Christmas?
32:49
SPEAKER_00: Do you want to come to my house?
32:50
SPEAKER_00: My mama would love to have you.
32:53
SPEAKER_00: Yes, that's like a fabulous idea.
32:57
SPEAKER_00: Now I won't have to deal with my mom's Scrooge-like behavior, or stress, or grumpiness, and we can just focus on being together and having fun with your family.
33:05
SPEAKER_00: Selah perked up at this idea and sat up in earnest.
33:09
SPEAKER_00: I'll have to call her, but she won't like it, you know, but she'll just have to like deal with it.
33:15
SPEAKER_00: Jane felt pain grip her heart as she heard her daughter, or rather a future version of her daughter, speak those words.
33:23
SPEAKER_00: She also realized that Jasmine was the little girl with a brother named Timmy that she had seen with the women in that bare apartment not long before.
33:32
SPEAKER_00: It broke her heart to think that the sweet boy didn't make it, and all because of lack of help from others who could give in a little bit more to save his life.
33:41
SPEAKER_00: Before Jade could fully comprehend what she had seen and heard, in a blink she was in a small and familiar home with minimal decor, except frame pictures of her three kids on the beige wall.
33:52
SPEAKER_00: And then she saw a figure at her dining room table, hunched over bills and papers and typing on his spreadsheet.
33:59
SPEAKER_00: The door to the right of her flung open and her son, looking several years older, bounced up to the woman pouring over her work.
34:06
SPEAKER_00: Hey, Mom, guess what?
34:08
SPEAKER_00: He bounded on his heels energetically while waiting for her reply.
34:12
SPEAKER_00: Without looking up, the woman responded, What?
34:15
SPEAKER_00: I'm in the middle of something.
34:16
SPEAKER_00: Why are you being so loud?
34:18
SPEAKER_00: I made it! I got on the hockey team.
34:22
SPEAKER_00: Eagerness and pride lit up Mason's face.
34:25
SPEAKER_00: Well, where are you gonna get the money to pay for this?
34:28
SPEAKER_00: And how can you expect me to get you to all those games?
34:30
SPEAKER_00: You know how busy I am.
34:31
SPEAKER_00: You'll have to call your dad and ask him to help you out.
34:35
SPEAKER_00: As Jay looked on to the scene, her eyes widened and filled with tears as she realized who was the woman at the table.
34:42
SPEAKER_00: Oh Mom, come on.
34:43
SPEAKER_00: So you'd be happy for me.
34:45
SPEAKER_00: You know how much I've wanted this.
34:48
SPEAKER_00: Mason's shoulders slumped as he pulled his phone from his back pocket.
34:52
SPEAKER_00: Maybe Dad will celebrate with me.
34:54
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, maybe he will.
34:56
SPEAKER_00: And while you talk to him, will you remind him that his check is two days late?
35:01
SPEAKER_00: The jade hunched over the keyboard, went back to typing, wrapped in a shroud of misery.
35:06
SPEAKER_00: Mason mumbled quietly enough that the future Jade sitting at the table couldn't hear.
35:11
SPEAKER_00: But the jade viewing this interaction could discern his words from afar.
35:16
SPEAKER_00: She's such a big grump.
35:18
SPEAKER_00: I know why Dad left, and I know why Sayla couldn't wait to get out of here.
35:21
SPEAKER_00: At least I won't have to sit with her in the car to go to my games.
35:25
SPEAKER_00: The pain in Jade's heart grew something fierce.
35:29
SPEAKER_00: How could this be her future?
35:31
SPEAKER_00: Why did her kids dislike her so much?
35:33
SPEAKER_00: And her husband is out of the picture?
35:35
SPEAKER_00: Surely this wasn't her future.
35:37
SPEAKER_00: She turned to the dark vapor still beside her in hopes that somehow she would be reassured this was not going to be her life.
35:44
SPEAKER_00: But she knew the answer.
35:46
SPEAKER_00: These visions were given to her so she could become a better woman.
35:50
SPEAKER_00: The trajectory of her life was headed straight towards loneliness, bitterness, and miserliness.
35:57
SPEAKER_00: This was her chance, her opportunity to begin again, and she fell to her knees to pray in earnest.
36:04
SPEAKER_00: Tears flowed down Jade's cheeks unchecked.
36:07
SPEAKER_00: Please, please, Lord, I don't want to be miserly and ungrateful.
36:12
SPEAKER_00: She continued her prayer in earnest.
36:15
SPEAKER_00: Jade knew what she needed to do and repented from putting her hope and all her energy into hoarding resources.
36:21
SPEAKER_00: She had this desire to feel secure in money, and it was sucking the joy of her amazing life and all her relationships.
36:29
SPEAKER_00: Jade knew that she had been given so much, and she no longer wanted to hesitate in being generous to others.
36:35
SPEAKER_00: She would choose to live as if she believed in the faithfulness of the provider and that he would always take care of her.
36:43
SPEAKER_00: A wave of peace rushed over Jade as she confessed her lack of faith and asked for help to trust in the one who had always been faithful to care for her every need.
36:57
SPEAKER_00: The chime from Jade's phone alarm went off again, and this time her hand connected with the phone.
37:03
SPEAKER_00: Suddenly, confident of what she was to do next, Jade slid out of bed into her slippers and ran out the room to find the kids.
37:11
SPEAKER_00: Glancing out the window as she passed, she noted the snow had stopped, leaving a pretty dusting on the bear trees and the black top was swept clear of any icy precipitation.
37:20
SPEAKER_00: The three kids were sprawled out on the couch and they were about thirty minutes into their Christmas movie, but Jade powered off the screen to get their attention.
37:28
SPEAKER_00: They each exclaimed at protest, but Jade motioned them for silence and attention.
37:33
SPEAKER_00: Jade dove into her apology before losing her earnest desire.
37:37
SPEAKER_00: Listen, I'm very sorry about the way I behaved at the store today.
37:42
SPEAKER_00: Looking at each child, Jade made eye contact to make sure she had their attention.
37:47
SPEAKER_00: Will you will you please forgive me?
37:50
SPEAKER_00: I really shouldn't have behaved that way.
37:52
SPEAKER_00: There's no excuse.
37:53
SPEAKER_00: And while she wanted to blame her irrational behavior on the stress she felt, she knew that in the end it would negate her sincerity.
38:01
SPEAKER_00: Everything in her wanted to share the lessons that she had learned from Christmas past, present, and future, but she knew that her actions would speak louder than words to her kids.
38:12
SPEAKER_00: As if Saila understood her thoughts, she gave Jade a knowing look and responded to the apology.
38:18
SPEAKER_00: Of course, Mom, we forgive you.
38:21
SPEAKER_00: And then the other two echoed their forgiveness.
38:25
SPEAKER_00: I've done some thinking and I need to make things right.
38:28
SPEAKER_00: Would you guys be willing to help me?
38:30
SPEAKER_00: Jade waited for them to nod their heads.
38:33
SPEAKER_00: Super.
38:34
SPEAKER_00: Now grab your coats and help me load up the car with those decorations I just brought.
38:38
SPEAKER_00: Surprised that she was met with little grumbling from the kids, Jade headed back to her room to grab a stash of bills that would be perfect for solidifying her newfound revelation and freedom.
38:48
SPEAKER_00: As she backed out of the driveway, she handed Sayla her phone.
38:52
SPEAKER_00: Hey hun, let's crank up some of those Christmas tunes.
38:55
SPEAKER_00: What do you want to listen to first?
38:57
SPEAKER_00: Surprised but thrilled, Sayla happily obeyed orders.
39:01
SPEAKER_00: Hallie and Mason, would you help me look for something?
39:04
SPEAKER_00: Jade looked at them in the rearview mirror.
39:06
SPEAKER_00: I think those scouts selling popcorn might still be walking in the neighborhood.
39:10
SPEAKER_00: Let's try to find them and order a tin for each of your teachers.
39:14
SPEAKER_00: Cheers erupted from the middle row.
39:17
SPEAKER_00: Hey, can we get one for us, Mom?
39:19
SPEAKER_00: Mason always loved caramel corn.
39:22
SPEAKER_00: Well, how about we buy the ingredients to make Aunt Jackie's secret caramel corn recipe?
39:28
SPEAKER_00: Jay grinned to herself, thinking about her conversation, or whatever it was with Aunt Jackie.
39:33
SPEAKER_00: You know how to make caramel corn, Mom?
39:37
SPEAKER_00: Hallie exclaimed with surprise.
39:39
SPEAKER_00: Jay cleared her throat.
39:41
SPEAKER_00: Well, I'm sure we're not as good as Aunt Jackie, but it'll be fun to make together.
39:45
SPEAKER_00: Does that sound okay?
39:47
SPEAKER_00: Mason interrupted.
39:48
SPEAKER_00: Hey, Mom, look, I see those two boys down there.
39:52
SPEAKER_00: As he pointed to a house down the block.
39:54
SPEAKER_00: The young scouts looked even more dejected than when they had left her front porch.
39:58
SPEAKER_00: She slowly pulled up beside them and rolled down her window.
40:01
SPEAKER_00: Hey, excuse me, boys.
40:04
SPEAKER_00: They were startled at her approach and not wanting them to run away when they recognized her.
40:08
SPEAKER_00: She didn't pause.
40:09
SPEAKER_00: Do you still have some popcorn tins that I could buy from you?
40:13
SPEAKER_00: The two scouts looked at each other from under their knit caps and then at Jade.
40:17
SPEAKER_00: Oh well, yes, ma'am.
40:19
SPEAKER_00: Would you like to get one?
40:23
SPEAKER_00: With a smile, Jade asked, How quickly can I get them if I order ten?
40:27
SPEAKER_00: She put the van in park and pressed the emergency light and filled out their order for him.
40:32
SPEAKER_00: With check in hand, they walked away with heads held high and giddiness in their steps as they headed to another neighbor's house with newfound confidence.
40:42
SPEAKER_00: As Jade and the kids pulled into the parking lot, immediately she spotted her, just as she had hoped.
40:48
SPEAKER_00: It was the Scarfladen volunteer.
40:50
SPEAKER_00: She was still there, faithfully ringing the bell, reminding the busy shoppers to drop their change in the bucket beside her.
40:57
SPEAKER_00: Rolling up a$50 bill, she handed it to Mason, along with the dollar and quarters to provide that plinking sound to delight him as it hit the rest of the collection.
41:06
SPEAKER_00: The twinkling blue eyes of the bell ringer gave Jade a wink as she watched Mason deliver his donation.
41:12
SPEAKER_00: The customer service counter was blessedly quiet, and the kids waited patiently as she returned her unneeded impulsive purchase from earlier that day.
41:20
SPEAKER_00: She did love those decorations, but now wasn't the time to buy them.
41:25
SPEAKER_00: Tucking her receipt into her wallet, she saw the blessing tree tag.
41:29
SPEAKER_00: Though she was still feeling a little confused about her dream or whatever she had experienced just a little bit ago, she turned to determine her path through the store.
41:38
SPEAKER_00: Alrighty guys, we're on a mission for a couple things.
41:41
SPEAKER_00: Will you accept my challenge?
41:43
SPEAKER_00: All three kids hooted and hollered until Jade made them quiet down.
41:48
SPEAKER_00: First, we need to get this wish list item for a boy named Timmy.
41:51
SPEAKER_00: Then we have some shoe boxes to fill for this Saturday's gathering.
41:55
SPEAKER_00: Who has a shopping list for that?
41:57
SPEAKER_00: Jade looked at Sayla, who waved the post-it note at her.
42:00
SPEAKER_00: And then if you can help without fussing and arguing, we can get those clothes you need for the Christmas party.
42:05
SPEAKER_00: She looked at Sayla, who smiled had returned.
42:08
SPEAKER_00: And Mason, we can find a pair of jeans that you can wear so you don't get a bad grade.
42:12
SPEAKER_00: Jade watched him fight the grin that was about to overtake his young face.
42:16
SPEAKER_00: And of course, Hallie, we'll find a fun outfit that fits the bill for your performance.
42:21
SPEAKER_00: Once again, their desire to celebrate overtook their self-control and volume levels, but Jade decided to laugh it off and pointed the cart in the direction of the toy department.
42:32
SPEAKER_00: Later that night, with her cup of tea, Jade soaked in the dreamy silence paired beautifully with the glowing twinkle lights on the tree.
42:39
SPEAKER_00: The three kids were snuggled into their beds, satisfied by giving and receiving.
42:44
SPEAKER_00: Her heart was full of the transformation generosity always produces.
42:49
SPEAKER_00: An ornament swaying back and forth on the tree caught her eye.
42:53
SPEAKER_00: It was a silver bell and a red bow, engraved with their wedding date.
42:58
SPEAKER_00: The memory made her smile as she remembered it had been given to them by Aunt Jackie.
43:02
SPEAKER_00: Walking to the tree and sliding the bell off the branch, she looked at the front and then flipped it over.
43:10
SPEAKER_00: Etched into the thin metal was a verse.
43:18
SPEAKER_00: I wonder what that one says.
43:21
SPEAKER_00: Opening her Bible app, Jade searched for the scripture, and then read it out loud to herself.
43:27
SPEAKER_00: Let giving flow from your heart, not from a sense of religious duty.
43:31
SPEAKER_00: Let it spring up freely from the joy of giving because God loves hilarious generosity.
43:37
SPEAKER_00: Yes, God is more than ready to overwhelm you with every form of grace, so that you will have more than enough of everything, every moment and in every way.
43:47
SPEAKER_00: He will make you overflow with abundance in every good thing you do, just as the Scripture says about the one who trusts in him, because he has sown extravagantly and has given to the poor, his kindness and generous deeds will never be forgotten.
44:03
SPEAKER_00: With a full and grateful heart, Jade realized that this truth, the truth of God's word, had gone from head knowledge to a revelation in her heart.
44:12
SPEAKER_00: And she was even more grateful still that she saw the value of what the past could teach her, the gift the present had to offer her, and how the hope of leaving a future legacy of generosity could guide her.
44:59
SPEAKER_00: Thank you for sharing this podcast with your friends and family.
45:03
SPEAKER_00: Plus, any of the five-star ratings that you give it and written reviews mean the world to me.
45:08
SPEAKER_00: I truly am so grateful that each week this audience grows.
45:12
SPEAKER_00: My prayer is always that the episodes get in the ears of those who need the word shared.
45:18
SPEAKER_00: I too am going to be enjoying the family festivities these next couple of weeks, but make sure you are following the podcast so when the special New Year's Goal Setting episode releases on January 2nd, you can cue it up for your walks, travel, or while you make some of those holiday returns.
45:35
SPEAKER_00: And of course, I'll be jumping right into our wholehearted rhythm series all of January.
45:41
SPEAKER_00: There is so much goodness ahead for you.
45:44
SPEAKER_00: So until next time, friend, continue to pursue perspective, purpose, and plans for the wholehearted life you desire.