(written on December 21, 2015)
In fifteen minutes, I am heading to our local Walmart to ring the Salvation Army (SA) bell. Since before I was knee-high to a grasshopper, Christmas has been accompanied by the loud, red bell and the jolly (and sometimes not so jolly) bell ringers!
From children to senior citizens, the Salvation Army attracts people of all shapes, sizes, and ethnicities! Spending an hour of my life reminding busy shoppers of others’ needs is a small sacrifice, but hopefully one I will cherish!
Confession is Good for the Soul
Let me get a confession out of the way first. I have not always appreciated the bell ringers. (There, I said it.) Some days when I am in a rush and just want to run into a store and out again with as little drama as possible, I hear the bell ringing in the distance and think, “I do not have time to stop and dig in my pockets today!” So, I try to slink by unnoticed and I love it when the SA worker in the Santa hat is busy talking to other people. (I slipped by him!)
I do not know why I even think this way. In all of my thirty-three years, I have never heard a story of a Salvation Army worker tackling a local shopper and demanding his or her loose change. Today, I expect to see hundreds of busy, stressed-out shoppers pass me by and I guarantee I will not take it personally (unless they yell something obscene or make an unmerry face). So, it is beyond me why I think all the bell ringers I pass are going to be somehow offended by my “snubbing” them.
My hope is that by having this experience, I will gain more respect for the people who strap on the red apron and summon donations for hours at a time; and, maybe my heart will soften the next time I want to pass them by. ~smile~
My Very Special Helper!!!
But, that is not the only reason I am excited to ring the bell today. What really makes my heart smile is that I will be joined by my favorite six-year-old, Amelia!
My friend, Jennifer, has been looking for ways to have her daughter experience the giving side of Christmas (because, let’s face it, no child needs to be taught how to want and receive). Giving, however, requires some exposure. It does my heart good to witness children giving with an open heart – at Christmastime and all year round.
When the opportunity to take an SA shift came available to me, I remembered that Jennifer was looking for volunteer opportunities for her daughter and thought, “Wow, ringing the bell with Amelia will be a far greater experience than standing there alone for an hour. I wonder if she would be interested in helping me?”
Was she interested? Jennifer sent me a picture of Amelia’s reaction to the news. She was all eyes and teeth! She loves dropping coins in the Salvation Army bucket and today she gets to ring the bell. (I hope she enjoys it as much as she thinks she will.) Even her dad approached me and told me how much his daughter was looking forward to it. In about thirty minutes, we will find out!
Santa Hats On! Let’s Do This!
When I arrived at Walmart, I approached a kind lady in a Salvation Army apron and said, “Hi! I think I am taking over for you at five-o-clock.” She looked confused and pointed me to the other entrance. So, I trekked down to the other door and spoke to a jolly gentleman in a Salvation Army apron. He informed me that he was on duty until eight-o-clock.
About this time, Jennifer and Amelia came on the scene. Amelia was looking absolutely adorable with her big grin and Santa hat, and I thought, “One way or another, this little lady is going to ring a bell tonight!” After a few conversations and a phone call, the misunderstanding was cleared up. The jolly man at the food entrance stepped aside for an hour giving us full custody of the bells, candy canes, and famous red bucket which was sealed tight with two locks.
We donned our aprons and it was show time.
Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring, Ring…..
The first few minutes took some getting used to. It is strange to stand amidst perfect strangers, grinning and ringing a little red bell some might characterize as annoying (or, very annoying). Then, it got easier. People came by and pulled out dollar bills – sometimes wads of them! I was honestly shocked and thrilled to see such generosity. The adorable little girl next to me thanking them and wishing them a Merry Christmas did not hurt either. (Note: It really is hard to turn down a smiling six-year-old in a Santa hat!)
Is Our Time Almost Up?
After ringing for what seemed like forever, I checked my phone and was amazed to discover we had only been out there… eleven minutes. If you want to make time stop, stand in one spot and ring a bell. It gave me a new respect for the folks who do this for hours in a row (and for the cart return workers who have to listen to these bells all day long!).
After we got into the groove, time began to pass a bit faster. Amelia’s hand got tired about twenty minutes into our shift, so I was a lone chime for a while; but, she most definitely entertained me while we stood there.
My favorite moment of the night was when Amelia said, “If the Salvation Army ever got me to count the money in this bucket, I would get it right, yo!” Apparently, Amelia is learning about money in school and she is confident in her ability to count it. ~wink~ (Little kids crack me up!)
The Next Time You See Someone in Red Apron Ringing a Bell, Just Smile.
So, remember earlier when I mentioned how I worry about the SA workers feel snubbed by me? Yeah, they do not. When someone walked by, smiled, and did not give, I was happy to smile back at them. When someone came by and did give, I felt a genuine sense of gratitude towards them.
It was those who completely ignored us – walked past us in hopes that we would not speak to them – that caused me to feel a bit awkward (read: the ones who acted like I usually do!). That was a life lesson. SA bell ringers stand in one place for anywhere from one to three (or maybe more) hours and a simple smile and “Merry Christmas” from kind strangers helps the time pass so much easier!
[[Note to self: Whether you donate or not, smile and acknowledge the people who are giving their time to raise money for others; and, occasionally it is okay to give dollar bills and not only loose change.]]Mind blown!
After our hour was up, we handed our aprons and bells back to the nice gentleman we met earlier. He sounded as though he thoroughly enjoyed his shifts and thought of them as opportunities to share the gospel. I admired that. Here I was, frozen and looking forward to sitting down and eating dinner and he was excited to get back to work, talk to people, and share the good news of Christ. I rarely see SA workers have long conversations with customers, but I am sure God can use a humble man in a red apron to spread His good news.
It Was Such a Blessing to Share This Experience with Amelia!
Amelia passed out candy canes to the children who donated, sweetly thanked and “Merry Christmas’d” adult donors, and kept me great company. Seriously, if you ever decide to take a volunteer slot, bring a child with you – preferably one who is psyched to help! I had a wonderful time raising money for a good cause with my little helper and I hope she always remembers our experience fondly for a long time to come.
“Miss Heather, you are the prettiest bell ringer.”
(There is absolutely no telling why I love this child so much. ~wink~) Watching her interact with the people and enjoy the process of giving was a blessing to my heart and I hope I am able to have precious experiences like these with her for years to come.
Last Experience of the Year
Ringing the Salvation Army bell was my last official experience for the Year of Experiences here at PreEngaged. It is bittersweet that this Year of Experiences is ending, but mostly sweet. Now that I have tasted what it is like to step out and say “YES!” to life, I feel confident I will continue looking for new adventures.
Thank you, Eric, for “encouraging me” (read: giving me an assigned task for our business) to have a Year of Experiences. Without you, I would probably still be hiding from life. I guess I need you! {Eric’s note: You’re welcome. I’m sure we need each other, honey.}
Our Christmas Prayer for You
Eric and I would like to wish you, your sweethearts, and your families the very merriest of Christmases. We pray God will bless you and keep you, to lead you and guide you in your relationships and life decisions over the next year.
We pray that He will give you His perfect peace when the time comes to take that next step from dating to engagement, and then again from engagement to marriage. (And if we can help in that endeavor, we would love to serve you!)
We thank Him for caring about the details of our lives – and, more than anything, that He sent His only Son to be a propitiation for our sins. For we know that without His sacrifice, we would be hopeless and lost. Father, thank you for sending Jesus. “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” (John 14:6, ESV)
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!