A photo and a tile: gifts from a stranger

In preparation for Luke's funeral we needed to decide what he was going to be dressed in. When I was pregnant I had shopped around for a white blessing outfit anticipating his baby blessing which I assumed would be only a month after he was born. I wanted to have it selected before Luke was born so that I didn't have to worry about it after his birth. I didn't know what postpartum recovery and motherhood would be like for me and I wanted this to be something I didn't need to worry about.

Little did I know that I would be needing this outfit only days after his birth and not for his blessing, but for his burial.

The details are kind of blurred now, but I believe I spent my third day postpartum (a day that normally my midwife insists you're still on bed rest recovering) going to the cemetery finalizing the burial plot and then I was home working out funeral details--calling friends and family to inform them our baby had died and that they're invited to a funeral (phone calls I never imagined having to make), researching a reputable florist for the area so that I could get the perfect flowers (which I wrote about here), and even calling a friend who used to work at a mortuary to talk to him about some questions I had.

I had to send my mom without me to go purchase Luke's burial clothes. Fortunately, I guess, I had taken pictures of some of my favorite white outfits. So I sent her to select one of those depending on the sizes that were available.

Unfortunately, the ones that I had selected weren't in stock anymore; however, there was a new selection for the upcoming fall season. My mom found one she really liked and thought I would like it too. She tried her best to describe it to me over the phone, but I couldn't picture it. I asked her if she could find someone in the store who could take a picture on their phone and send it to me (my mom's cell doesn't have a camera). I'm sure it was so out of my mom's comfort zone to ask a stranger to do something like that! She spotted a younger lady (the store with the clothes is also a quilt shop so a lot of the costumers are kind of older . . . no offense Cindy and Liz you're not old) and asked if she could send a picture to me.

The woman was willing and quickly wrangled her child(ren) out of the store so she could retrieve her phone from her car. I soon received this picture.

Her helpfulness alone was enough to touch my heart and I was so grateful for her willingness to help! 

When my mom returned from the errands she was doing for us, she not only brought back Luke's clothes but a thoughtful gift that this stranger purchased for us and gave to my mom before she left the store. 

It was a little tile and easel with the following quote:

How incredibly thoughtful. I am so impressed by this woman's kindness. It's moments like this when you know that this world is truly filled with beautiful and kind people. When I think about this woman's willingness to reach out to me, a complete stranger, I am so touched and in awe that she would do such a thing. 

Would I be that kind and generous to a stranger? Do I even show friends and loved ones who I know so much kindness? I feel like I have so much to learn from the Christlike people that come into my life--even if I don't know who they are. 

*****

Thank you for your helpfulness, your kindness, and your sympathetic heart that reached out to me. Your kindness has touched me and taught me to be more thoughtful, more kind, and more moved to action to do something for someone going through hard times. Oh, may the Lord bless you for your service and loving heart. People like you make this world a beautiful place.