In my New Year’s post on IG and Facebook, I shared some glimpses from my 2021 monthly gratitude lists. One of those entries was “a kindness that smote my heart.” I’d like to tell you about it.

Each year, before Christmas I start looking for something special. Something our family can use or enjoy to celebrate the holidays. When Jordan @jordanandco shared a picture of her Advent candelabra and said she was taking orders, I knew I had found this year’s ‘something special.’

I eagerly placed my order . . . and waited. The candelabras are made to order and the process of forming the clay, firing, glazing, and all the other magical things that Jordan does, takes time.

Trust me, her creations are worth the wait.

Finally, the box arrived! I opened it and began unwrapping the layers and layers of bubble wrap, thinking all the while of how much care Jordan puts into her packaging.

I’m sure you can imagine my disappointment when the final layer of wrapping fell away and I saw my beautiful candelabra smashed in a half a dozen pieces! My visions of the year’s Advent candle lightings went up in smoke.

As I feared, there wasn’t time for Jordan to make me a replacement. She refunded my purchase in full. Not only was I disappointed about the candelabra but I was dismayed because Jordan had lost a sale. Despite her careful packaging, there was little hope she would recover her costs through a shipping claim.

There was a mug in her shop that I’d had my eye on for some time. It couldn’t replace the lost candelabra (for either of us) but I put an order in hoping it might help cover some of her loss.

Another box came, another carefully packaged treasure. And something more. Lovingly wrapped and nestled next to my mug was one of Jordan’s beautiful Ebenezer candleholders.

Unexpected. Unlooked for. Carefully wrapped. Appearing in the midst of disappointment. Disappointment larger than just a broken candelabra.

Jordan’s kindness meant all the more because she gave abundantly, even out of her own loss.

Friends, I’m not making more of this than I should. Not every act of kindness is a sacrifice. Not every act of kindness costs us something. But when they do, they are mighty powerful indeed.

For they give forth the aroma of the Great Kindness: Jesus’ sacrifice for us.