A Useful Gift!

Some of you have heard me tell a story in my preaching about our first married Christmas. I was not making much money and there were things we needed. Sure, we wanted things but we needed other things more. I put a very practical gift in layaway at Sears for Kelly Jo.

We were opening presents at my parents house and Kelly Jo's gift was wrapped under the tree. When she opened it, she found a brand new Kenmore canister vacuum cleaner!

It took weeks to pay it out of layaway in time for Christmas, but I thought is was the perfect gift. KJ needed a vacuum. It was Christmas. She liked it. It worked good for us. 

My Mother thought this practical gift was a good teaching moment. I needed to learn that wives deserve gifts they want or even something that might be considered luxury at Christmas. She told me to save practical gifts for other times, not Christmas and birthdays.

Even though Kelly Jo loved the Kenmore and used it for years, I have tried to take that lesson to heart, at least part of the time. Thanks for the help Mom!

Let me tell you why I am thinking about a Christmas present 32 years later. Yesterday we were working in the house and Kelly Jo was sweeping sawdust from boards that I was about to paint. We have an old wet/dry vac that we have also had for years.

She need a certain attachment and she knew exactly which one she needed. The job required the gray attachment in the picture below.

You know where that attachment came from, right? Yep, you guessed it. The gray attachment is from the Sears Kenmore canister vacuum that I bought for our first Christmas. She kept the attachments long after the vacuum served its time.

Now, how is that for a practical gift that is still at least partially useful 32 years later?

I do have two question for KJ. I am afraid to add up how many times we have moved from house to house, from RV to RV and from state to state. We have not lived a stationary life at all. 

Question # 1: Where in the world did you keep that thing all these years?

Question # 2: How did you find it exactly when you needed it when I know that you have no clue where your keys or phone are right this moment?

I suppose the mysteries of life will always remain mysteries! I am glad she had it handy!

I sure would like to be useful long after it seems I should be! Maybe Kelly Jo will know what to do with me some day.😁

Have a great day.

Davy