I had a bit of my Christmas joy taken away yesterday.

Actually stolen.

As in someone stole my credit card & went on a Christmas shopping spree at the Walmart.

And not my local Walmart, a Walmart in Denton, TX. He even added his name to the pickup order! He must be a very generous gift giver. He ordered a couple Apple watches & a few sets of AirPods. And a can of Pringles. The kind in the red can, just like I buy on my weekly grocery order.

So not only was it a hassle, it made me sad. I was on the phone with my credit card company for over 30 minutes. I had to cancel my card and wait 3-5 business days for a replacement. And this is my card I use for EVERYTHING. (I earn Amazon points with it which is fabulous.)

This is also the card I use for all my automatic payments. Sorry Dish Network & Netflix, I’ll square up with you, I promise. I have to check on several pending orders for Christmas presents, which may not arrive in time if they are held up because my payment was declined.

Ugh.

I know this is minor compared to the major stuff people are going through. But it upset me & I felt a bit violated. And it’s ok to acknowledge your feelings, I believe.

Today I took the twins to see Santa at one of our favorite local restaurants in Crozet, The Whistlestop. The girls were super excited! They wore their Christmas leggings. Libby didn’t even fuss about the matching pants. Probably because I let them wear different shirts. Callie would’ve been happy to be completely matchy matchy. But not Lib. It’s all about compromise people.

After we had our Santa visit, which was so cute & sweet & safe, we ordered our breakfast. They had the cutest “reindeer” pancake special for the kids. I mean delicious buttermilk pancakes with bacon antlers. Um yes please.

While we were waiting for our order, the owner came by & told us our breakfast had been paid for.

By a man I’ve never met.

I was surprised & a little confused. As I went to checkout, (I left a hefty tip, too because it was the least I could do) I asked the waitress if he paid for everyone. Yes, yes he did. I’m not gonna lie, tears sprang up in my eyes. The waitress probably thought I was a weirdo. But I was so touched at his generosity. At his kindness shown to perfect strangers.

We headed into town to pick up lunch for the hubs & his guys. Bless em, they are working 7 days a week to meet a deadline for a customer. I was singing along to the radio, DJing for my 2 little bosses in the backseat. And it hit me, my spirits were so lifted! I got a little teary again just thinking about that kind gesture. We’ve been talking about acts of kindness for a few days, thanks to the girls’ Elf on the Shelf, Elfie (I know it’s not very original. They are 6).

Elfie has been encouraging them to do random acts of kindness. He reminds them in his letters about the true meaning of Christmas. And what an act of mercy & kindness the birth of Jesus was! The King of Glory came down to be born as a baby in this messed up world.

I’m not trying to say paying for everyone’s breakfast is the same as the birth of Jesus, don’t get all twisted.

What I am saying is that this act of kindness restored some of the joy I had lost. It restored my faith in my fellow man. And it gave me hope.

It may sound silly, but having our reindeer pancakes (and mozzarella sticks & basket of fries paid for, it’s Christmas break , we eat what we want, don’t judge me) made such a difference to me. And what a perfect, tangible example to share with my girls!

So Mr. Roger Baber, thank you. Thank you for your kindness. You made 3 Shiffletts girls very happy & you made a difference today.

Never underestimate the kindness you share makes.

You are so loved!