WhydidIcometoday?Iwondered.MyChristmas 21 containedseveralpeoplethatclaimedtheywantednothingbutIknewtheirfeelingswouldbehurt 22 Ididn’tbuythemanythingsobuyinggiftswas 23 butfun.
HurriedlyIfinishedshoppingand 24 thelongcheckoutlines.Infrontofmewereaboyofabout5andayoungergirl.Shecarriedabeautifulpairof 25 slippers.Whenwefinally 26 thecheckoutregisterthegirl 27 placedtheshoesonthecounter.Shetreatedthemasthoughtheywerea 28.
‘Thatwillbe$6.09’thecashiersaid.Theboy 29 allhispockets.Hefinallycameupwith$3.12.‘Iguesswewillhavetoputthemback’hesaid.‘Wewillcomebacksome30timemaybetomorrow.’31 thatstatementasoftsob（抽泣）brokefromthelittlegirl.‘ButJesuswouldhavelovedtheseshoes’shecried.
‘Wellwe’llgohomeandworksomemore.Don’tcry.We’llsurely 32’hesaid.QuicklyIhanded$3.00tothecashier.Thesechildrenhadwaitedinlineforalongtime.And 33itwasChristmas.Suddenlyapairofarmscamearoundmeandthegirlsaid 34‘Thankyoulady.’‘Whatdidyou 35 whenyousaidJesuswouldliketheshoes?’Iasked.Theboyanswered‘Ourmommyissickandgoingto 36.DaddysaidshemightgobeforeChristmastobewithJesus.’Thegirlspoke‘MySundayschoolteachersaidthestreetsinheavenareshinygoldjustliketheseshoes.Won’tmommybe 37 walkingonthosestreetsintheseshoes?’’
Myeyes 38 asIlookedintohertear---streakedface.‘Yes’Ianswered‘Iam 39 ‘shewill.’SilentlyIthankedGodforusingthesechildrento 40 meofthetruespiritofgiving.