By Linda Koehler

Last week I told you how I wanted to live out my own Hallmark Christmas movie. I listed all the criteria needed to qualify. They were: bake cookies; decorate the Christmas tree; buying and wrapping presents; ice skating; build a snowman; snow; sledding or a sleigh ride; snowball fights; make snow angels; enjoy hot chocolate; make a gingerbread house; kissing underneath the mistletoe; some sort of celebration/festival/gala; some sort of drama/conflict; and a love story.

I didn’t tell you the love story. I saved that for today.

Now there are all kinds of love stories: romantic, platonic, familial, pets, etc.

This love story is even more far-reaching.

A couple of weeks ago, “Susie” found a $20 bill in a busy parking lot. She picked it up and looked at it for a minute, then put it in her pocket and went on to do a little Christmas shopping. But she kept thinking about that $20. When she got home she took it out of her pocket and laid it on her dresser. Every time she walked by it, she felt a strong pull toward something.

A few days before, she had read a story from the book “Family Christmas” by Dr. James Dobson. It was about a young family and a brutal Canadian winter in 1927. They lived far from home, away from family, barely surviving. They experienced a Christmas miracle from a community of loving caring people. That Sunday, Susie asked to read that story to her adult Sunday school class. (They call themselves the CIA-Christians In Action.) After the story, she told them about the $20 she had found and that it was laid on her heart to give that $20 to someone who needed it more than she and asked if they could somehow make that amount grow. By the time the class was over, that $20 had grown into $800. Word reached a few others and soon there was $985.

The pastor gave them the names of five families that could use a little Christmas help. Each of four families received: a $135 Walmart gift card; a meal of a ham, mashed potatoes, corn, baked beans, a box of Swiss Miss hot chocolate and a container of Christmas cookies; a toy for each child; blankets made by church members for each member of the families. The fifth family received an amount paid on their electric bill.

Through this small act of giving, they learned that one of the families’ car was in need of a transmission. Let’s say her name is “Jane.” Jane had no way to get to and from her job, so her mother is racking up 172 miles each day Jane works to get her to and from her job. That’s a lot of wear and tear on Jane’s mother’s car. This has been going on since the beginning of November.

Jane said it will cost $2,000 to have the car repaired. She has given the garage $400 to date toward the repair, all she has been able to scrape together. Work on the car can’t begin until she can assure the garage she has the whole payment.

Again Susie felt that pull. So the following Sunday, when the pastor asked if anyone had a Christmas story they would like to share, she told the congregation about Jane, asking if it was laid upon their hearts to give a donation toward helping Jane reach her goal, it would be greatly appreciated by Jane’s family and her mother.

One day later, she received the full amount from one donor, who wishes to remain anonymous, but he will forever remain as the kindest, most generous, nicest man she’ll ever know. Several smaller amounts came in from others. She was left in awe of all this generosity. Surely this was love in its purest form.

When Susie called Jane to tell her to call the garage to order the transmission, there were tears and disbelief in Jane’s voice. Susie also called the garage to assure them their bill would be paid by St. Matthew’s UCC. The lady she spoke to promised the transmission would be ordered the same day. She said Jane could possibly have her car back in a week or so. Jane was over the moon and couldn’t thank St. Matthew’s enough. She said she would never be able to repay them. Susie asked only one thing of Jane … if she ever has the chance, just pay a kindness forward. Jane promised that she would.

But as in every Hallmark movie, nothing ever goes smoothly. Thus the drama. When Jane’s garage tried to order the transmission, guess what? It was gone. Trying to locate another has proved to be unsuccessful, not only for the garage, but also on Susie’s part, calling every dealership in the area and beyond. Jane was heartbroken to have come so close.

Although disappointed, Susie had faith. Knowing God answers prayers in his own time, she still prayed for him to hurry up.

When a friend of Susie’s heard the story, he tried calling places he does business with. This morning, Susie heard from her friend. A transmission has been found in Binghamton, New York! It should arrive either Friday or Monday.

Jane was told she needed to come up with an additional $800 to pay for the installation. Susie says she’s not worried because God didn’t get them this far not to somehow find the additional amount.

So, the love story? This whole experience has made me fall in love all over again with humanity, and the inherent goodness that lives in all of us. I believe this is the kind of love God had in mind when he gifted the world with his most beloved son, Jesus Christ.

Now that is a Hallmark Christmas movie if I ever heard of one.