Writer: Mary Lou McKee

Some may go through life looking for the perfect gift to give at Christmas and never feel they find it. Thanks to the leadership of the Holy Spirit, I found the perfect gift for $12.50!

There was a precious little blonde dynamo in the first grade at our school. She was overflowing with energy and full of surprises — never a dull moment for her teacher. I am a substitute teacher at her school, so she became my friend, too.

Life wasn’t perfect for Sue (as we’ll call her). She came to school in hand-me-down clothes. Almost daily, she wore things that didn’t match. Most of the time her clothes were too big — and dirty. Nevertheless, Sue’s laughter could be heard everywhere.

The thing that really bothered me was her old pink tennis shoes. Not only did they look pitiful, they were almost two sizes too big, which meant she couldn’t keep them tied. As much as she loved to run and play at recess, she had trouble because of her loose shoestrings and the fact that her oversized shoes kept falling off. I wanted to cry, but her hugs made me smile.

At Christmas, I took a child from our church shopping to get her some things from the church. As we neared the store, Sue and those awful shoes weighed heavily on my mind. I prayed: “Lord, if there are shoes in that store for Sue, help me find them. I don’t know her size, but You do. I’m placing this in Your hands. I didn’t plan to do this, but You are in charge.”

In the back of the store, the girl from our church found a table full of reduced-priced shoes. As we tumbled through them, we found a beautiful pair of white leather tennis shoes with pink princess designs on them. My heart nearly stopped. I could feel God’s presence there with me as I checked the size. Someone had said she thought Sue’s ugly shoes were a size 2, and I thought they were about two inches too long. The pretty white ones were a size 12 — two sizes smaller. Maybe, just maybe, they would fit.

The shoes’ beauty and size weren’t my last surprise. When I went to pay for them, I learned that all the shoes on the table had been reduced a second time and the final cost was $12.50. When God moves, He does things right.

The following Monday, I went back to the school with the shoes in my hands and a prayer in my heart. As soon as I could, I gave the shoes to Sue’s teacher and asked her to try them on Sue but not tell her where she got them. Later, during a break, I walked down to Sue’s room, my heart racing. Had the teacher given them to her yet? Did they fit?

The suspense did not last long — Sue met me at the door with the shoes on her feet. “Look, Mrs. Lou, I have new shoes! They fit! I can twirl, I can dance, I can run — and they don’t fall off!” I was ready to shout for joy along with her. Her teacher told me Sue sat with her feet on top of her desk the rest of the day so she could look at her new shoes. Also, each time she walked down the hall, she stopped everybody so she could show them her shoes.

That was the year I celebrated Christmas for $12.50. It was the most perfect gift God has helped me to give.

Mary Lou McKee is a member of Eureka Baptist Church in Anderson, S.C.