I want to post about the fun lunch I had this week with the "lunch bunch" girls on base, but first, I had to write down a cool experience I had yesterday at Bed Bath & Beyond. I am trying to avoid the shops during the holiday season because it seems like everyone is in a mad rush to get things and people aren't as relaxed and chilled out as they could be. Nonetheless, I had to go to BB&B to get some "Secret Santa" gifts for church and other things. The store was so busy that I was asked to check out at the Customer Service desk. The man standing next to me had a lamp in his hand that he wanted to purchase. He had just returned the exact same lamp because it was broken. As he was went to purchase the same lamp, the sales clerk (who was actually the manager of the store) said emphatically "oh no, you don't have to buy it- just exchange it!" The man insisted on buying the lamp, because as he explained "I dropped it. The lamp wasn't defective when I bought it. I broke the lamp." The store manager said to him "Don't worry, we exchange stuff like this all the time, really, we'll just do the exchange!" Another sales clerk even said "just don't take his money." But the man insisted on paying for the lamp, which as he had admitted, was broken because of his negligence. As he said "it's the right thing to do."
I learnt a lesson from this man yesterday. Would I have done the same thing if the option to simply exchange the broken lamp for a new one was presented to me like it was for this man? At the end of the day, someone has to pay for the broken item, even if it is the big corporate store in the sky that doesn't have a face. I believe that this man was an example of integrity to the many other people in the store who witnessed what went on. I applaud him for what he did. Incidentally, I had to go return a top that I had bought online, at a local store, just a few minutes after the BB&B incident. The store manager at this other store saw on my receipt that the top was valued at $24.99. The voice of that man insisting on doing "the right thing" popped into my head and I told the manager that I only paid $19.99, even though that wasn't reflected on my receipt! I thought it was interesting that the pair of workout pants I exchanged the top for were originally priced at $19.99 but rang up for $8.99 at the register! Doing the right thing because it's the right thing to do, as Zev always says IS the right thing. I just wanted to share this experience with you this Christmas season :-))
So on to the fun lunch I had with the girls this week. Our monthly "lunch bunch" group went to an old (like pre Civil War) plantation house called Edgewood Plantation. The owner of the house gave us a lively tour of her house, complete with interesting stories and while dressed in period costume. After the tour, we sat down to tea and scones and little sandwiches, all while wearing fun hats! I enjoyed the outing and especially hanging out with my fellow pregnant buddy, sweet Natalie!!
And the word of the LORD came again to Zechariah: "This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. In your hearts do not think evil of each other."
Zechariah 7:8
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