SPECIAL GROCERY LIST
Louise Redden, a poorly dressed lady with a look of defeat on her face,
walked into a grocery store. She approached the owner of the store in a
most humble manner and asked if he would let her charge a few
groceries. She softly explained that her husband was very ill and unable
to work, they had seven children and they needed food.
John Longhouse, the grocer, scoffed at her and requested that she leave
his store at once. Visualizing the family needs, she said: "Please,
sir! I will bring you the money just as soon as I can. "John told her he
could not give her credit, since she did not have a charge account at
his store. Standing beside the counter was a customer who overheard
the conversation between the two.
The customer walked forward and told the grocer that he would stand good
for whatever she needed for her family. The grocer said in a very
reluctant voice, "Do you have a grocery list?"
Louise replied, "Yes sir. " "O.K" he said, "put your grocery list on the
scales and whatever your grocery list weighs, I will give you that
amount in groceries."
Louise, hesitated a moment with a bowed head, then she reached into her
purse and took out a piece of paper and scribbled something on it. She
then laid the piece of paper on the scale carefully with her head still
bowed.
The eyes of the grocer and the customer showed amazement when the scales
went down and stayed down. The grocer, staring at the scales, turned
slowly to the customer and said begrudgingly, "I can't believe it."
The customer smiled and the grocer started putting the groceries on the
other side of the scales. The scale did not balance so he continued to
put more and more groceries on them until the scales would hold no more.
The grocer stood there in utter disgust. Finally, he grabbed the piece
of paper from the scales and looked at it with greater amazement. It
was not a grocery list, it was a prayer, which said: "Dear Lord, you
know my needs and I am leaving this in your hands."
The grocer gave her the groceries that he had gathered and stood in
stunned silence. Louise thanked him and left the store. The other
customer handed a fifty-dollar bill to the grocer and said; "It was
worth every penny of it.
Only God Knows how much a prayer weighs.
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