Phil,

I've red that before, but I always enjoy reading it again. It's so
beautiful, and you are filling my heart with love, when it has been filled
with sadness lately.

Thanks much.

Love and Blessings,
Pat Ferguson


At 08:22 PM 12/20/04, you wrote:
>I realize I have posted this before but I ran across it tonight as I was
>uploading some new Christmas files I was placing on my website.  I read it
>for the first time in a long while and perhaps some here haven't read it
>before.
>
>My 250 Dollar Christmas
>
>                          By Phil Scovell
>
>      Several years ago, when our children were very small and we
>didn't have much money for Christmas, I was feeling quite sorry
>for myself.  I couldn't say the Lord hadn't blessed us, because He
>certainly had.  However,  it was Christmas and we were sort of
>broke.  We had been able to get toys for our children but there
>wasn't anything left and I wanted to get other things such as food
>for the holidays because my wife loves to cook and bake.
>
>      I remember walking into the living room of our home and being
>at the front door.  I cannot recall what I was doing at the door
>but I remember I was closing and locking it.  I think my wife and
>children had left for the evening to go shopping because I
>remember being alone.  As I closed the door, I prayed a silent
>prayer and asked the Lord to give us 250 dollars for Christmas and
>before Christmas, too, so we could get the things I wanted.
>Normally when I would think such thoughts, I would run down a list
>of people, in my mind, who had money and could give if they
>wanted.  this time I did not go down my list of people I thought
>could afford to give us money; I just asked the Lord to bless me
>with 250 dollars as I felt the sadness in my heart.
>
>      A couple of days went by and I called a friend and asked if
>he would be in my area that week to pick up a watch I had in the
>shop for cleaning.  He said yes and told me what day he would come
>by with the watch.
>
>      I heard his knock and let him in.  He handed me my watch and
>I said, "here, let me get my checkbook to write you a check for
>the repairs."  It was, by the way 45 dollars.  He said, "No, here,
>I have something for you."  I turned around and he handed me 205
>dollars cash.  He said, "It was originally 250 dollars cash but I
>used 45 dollars to pay for your watch because I forgot to bring
>some other money to pay for your watch in the first place."  I
>tried to protest but this man had given us money as a gift many
>times over the years and I knew, once the Lord told him what to
>do, he would do it when it came to money.  I thanked him and when
>he left, tears came to my eyes.  I had never once thought of this
>man when I had asked the Lord to give me exactly 250 dollars for
>Christmas.  Now my watch was paid for, a Christmas present itself,
>and I had 205 dollars extra cash for Christmas and my family.
>
>      I stood in the living room, after my friend left, thinking
>about what had just happened and realized the power of God in
>prayer.  More than that, I realized God really cared for me and
>that was why He answered my prayer.  I could have easily lived
>without the 250 dollars but I knew I couldn't live without the
>Lord in my life.
>
>      this Christmas, make Jesus Christ the Lord of your life.  All
>you need to do to become born again is pray to the Lord, confess
>you are a sinner and cannot save yourself, and ask Jesus Christ to
>be the Lord of your life.  Yes, it is that simple.  I did it when
>I was just five years of age and it works.
>
>      If you are already born again, be reminded that He is in fact
>the Lord of your life and every situation you face.  He hasn't
>forgotten you.  Recognizing Him as Lord is the best Christmas gift
>you can give him.  Besides, what else can you give the Creator of
>all things who already has everything other than your love for
>Him.  That's all He really wants for Christmas.
>
>
>I Flew Kites With Jesus
>www.SafePlaceFellowship.com