There’s a woman who cleans apartments in my building who lives up in the Bronx in a very poor neighborhood. She appreciates anything people give her that they don’t need and finds homes for it all with her friends and neighbors. I always save clothes and household items I don’t need for Esther and get stuff for her from other people with stuff to give away. She’s a lovely lady and full of gratitude for everything I give her, even when I consider it junk.

I once gave Esther a broken boombox, only because she insisted she’d take it. I’d have chucked it! The next week I saw her and she was excited to tell me that a man in her building fixed it and a girl in her building was ecstatic to get it. I’d have just thrown it out had I not known Esther makes the most out of everything. She’s a good woman who loves helping others and gets pleasure out of taking what people don’t need and giving it to those who have little.

Blessings can truly come back to you in unexpected ways!

I actually cried when I heard this story. Esther has several young kids and took in her grandchildren when her daughter was struggling. Mind you, Esther doesn’t have much money. Her grandson needed gym shorts for school. She told him he’d have to wait until she had spare cash. He came home crying that his teacher said he had to have the shorts and if he didn’t come in with them, he’d fail gym and have to sit in detention. He didn’t want to go to school anymore!

I admit, it’s hard for me to imagine being so strapped for money that you can’t afford to buy a pair of shorts! I realized that’s something I should be grateful for!

Esther is trying to provide for 5 kids on her own by cleaning apartments. After making sure they’re fed, there was little left. That night, she cried and then prayed over and over, asking God for a miracle—to help her find a way to get her grandson gym shorts. He’s very tall and strapping for his age so he needed an adult pair. Before she went to sleep, Esther went to move some bags of clothes she’d brought home that day.

She stood with her mouth open as she noticed a pair of shorts for guys on the top of one bag, exactly what her grandson needed. She cried, this time from joy, when she saw they were his size!

After bringing stuff home for years and distributing to those who need it, Esther was got a miracle when she needed it!

We often don’t realize how much good the stuff we no longer want can do for someone else. It’s so easy to toss out an old shirt or pan or whatever seems old and is replaced by a better one. But there are many people who can use what you can’t. Finding another home for your unwanted items is a blessing to someone who has little. Plus, it helps the environment by recycling instead of adding to the garbage.

For me Esther’s blessing was personal. It turned out the shorts belonged to my brother-in-law. My sister had sent some bags for Esther at my suggestion. The act of giving away old clothes created blessings for a bunch of people! Think before you toss things out!

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