“A Double Boiler For Mama- The Joy of Giving”,December, 2024

Life was pretty simple in the little sleepy Ozark town of Eureka Springs, Arkansas, where I was born and lived as a young boy. In fact, some said, shortly
after dark the lights went off on Main Street, and the sidewalks were rolled up.

Come Saturday, however, it was different. Folks came into town from their small family farms, filling the street as they shopped for groceries, family needs and feed for their livestock.

At the Courthouse, Mr. Scarrow was busy selling his homegrown fruits and vegetables, and not far away, near the historic town auditorium, Brother Garrison was preaching the gospel.

In Basin Park, Pastor Lee F. Stokes of the Assembly of God Church, could be seen greeting folks and handing out copies of the Pentecostal Evangel, a weekly publication from the Headquarters Gospel Publishing House in Springfield, Missouri.

Down at Elmer Davidson’s feed store, a group of men could be found sitting and sharing stories about their military service or their latest fishing trip on White River, while waiting on their wives to finish grocery shopping at Clark’s Market across the street.

At the Continental Bus station, located in the Oklahoma Tire & Supply Store, one or two people anxiously waited with suit cases in hand for the bus that would take them to places like Tulsa, Oklahoma or Joplin, Missouri.

I was about twelve years old, and Saturday was a busy day for me, because I was the shoeshine boy at Mr. Harold Cole’s barber shop located adjacent to the Basin Park Hotel. Business was good on Saturday, as men from the community came for a shave, haircut and a shoe shine.

I got quite an education listening to the men banter back and forth while waiting their turn in the chair, but Mr. Cole was very strict. No profanity or inappropriate stories were allowed!

I earned fifteen cents for each shine and business was brisk. My reward for sweeping up around the barber chair and getting coffee for Mr. Cole from Kelly’s Restaurant across the street, was a free haircut at least every two weeks. That, by the way, was a one dollar value.

It was Saturday, July 18, my mom’s birthday. I really wanted to buy her something nice, but I wasn’t sure how I could do it or what I could possibly buy her that she would like.

When my lunch time arrived, I took my my shoe polish stained money and went up the street to the furniture and appliance store owned by my Sunday School teacher, Sister Mary Alice Miller and her husband, Cleo.

Entering the store, I shyly told Sister Miller I wanted to buy my mom a birthday gift. Looking back on that moment, I’m sure, she suspected I had little money and knew I had no idea about buying such a gift. She knew my family had little money, but her attitude toward me was not condescending. She was kind and considerate, making me feel as though I was the most important customer she had met all day.

Taking me by the hand, she led me to the area in the store where kitchen items were located. Lifting a clear glass Pyrex double boiler from the shelf, she said, “Honey, your mom would love to have this in her kitchen.” I didn’t even know what a double boiler was, or how it was to be used, but if Sister Miller said mom would love it, I believed her.

Looking at that double boiler and then looking nervously at a couple of crumpled dollar bills I held in my hand, I was afraid I didn’t have enough money to buy what Sister Miller said my mom would love.

She must have seen the uncertainty on my face, because she gave me a hug and said, “You have just enough to get this for your mom.”

Taking the double boiler and leading me by the hand, she took me back to the front counter where she took my money, counted it and then handed all but one dollar back to me. She then did the unexpected. She wrapped my gift beautifully and put a large bow on it. Hugging me again, she took me to the door and sent me on my way.

I cannot tell you how proud I was, and what joy filled my heart as I carried my beautifully wrapped gift and gave it to my surprised mom, who because of our circumstances rarely received gifts. I will never forget how pleased she was when she unwrapped my gift and proudly held the double boiler up for all to see.

Seeing how proud mom was that I remembered her birthday, I learned a very important lesson. Nothing compares to the joy of giving! Especially, if it comes from your heart.

As I grew into manhood and remembering that summer Saturday and my search for a birthday gift, I became sure I didn’t have enough money to buy that double boiler. I came to believe, Sister Miller, acting in love and kindness, didn’t want to disappoint a young boy, whose heart was set on doing something nice for “mama,” so she sold it to me for one dollar.

Her kindness remains etched in my memory and some seventy years later, I am convinced her understanding and compassion along with that of Godly Pastors, Missionaries and other dedicated believers have helped shape my thinking with reference to giving in order that others may be blessed.

Many years later, while pastoring a church, I spoke with Sister Miller by phone and will never forget how proud I felt when she asked, “How is my boy? I want you to know I am praying for you.”

She went home to Glory shortly after that, but her kindness and Godly example remain a very important part of my life.

Feeling a compassion for those less fortunate and in need, I have been blessed to lead various congregations in the churches I have pastored to support Foreign and Home Missions around the world.

We have been privileged to provide funding to build buildings in Mexico and Vietnam, to fund projects that provided clean water for the poor in India and help dedicated Missionaries carry the burden of ministry in places like, Quito Ecuador and Calcutta, India.

As the Lord has so directed, our Churches have provided needed funds to print gospel literature and Bibles in dozens of languages and through our Assemblies of God World Missions Ministry. We have helped buy cars for Missionaries and national Pastors, provided funding for the care and education of poor children in Latin America and given needed support to help troubled young people through ministries such as Teen Challenge here in America and other places in the world.

God enabled faithful friends in those Churches to help the needy in their own community to pay rent and utilities, buy groceries, and clothes for school. On a number of occasions, we have not only comforted families in the loss of a loved one, but have helped pay funeral expenses.

I give all honor and glory to God and my deepest gratitude to the compassionate Church members who made it possible to help those who had no capacity to help themselves.

My point in sharing this personal story that began so many years ago in the Ozark Hills is really a question:

Could it be, Sister Miller’s concern and generosity for a poor young boy in the purchase of a birthday double boiler impacted his thinking and softened his heart, causing him, in later life to reach out to people living in poverty and
in need of Jesus Christ?

No doubt in my mind, reflecting back on that experience as I grew older, I have often thought how her example of compassion sowed the seed of understanding, that even a small act of kindness flowing from a generous heart can make a lasting impact on others.

Today, after six decades of ministry, I know now, more than ever, “Nothing is small when God is in it.”

I don’t know what happened to that double boiler. I’m sure mom kept it until she passed away. I have many times wished I could have reclaimed it and put it on a shelf in my office to remind me, how giving, is a matter of the heart and, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35)