Lessons From the Bag Lady Part 2: The Blue Honda

Dorothy is real and the story is true.

My parents read the Bag Lady blog after it was posted. They informed me that I hadn't remembered the story quite right. Here is the amended version.

That night as my Dad helped Dorothy gather her bags she turned to him, handing him a white envelope saying, "The Lord told me you needed money". Dad thanked her and put the white envelope on the table and drove Dorothy home. When he got back to the house he opened the white envelope. Inside the white envelope Dorothy had given them the thousands they needed, within $80 of the exact amount.

While Dorothy, the bag lady, saved our home and business property, which we still own, it didn't stop the bankruptcy. The next few years were difficult as our family struggled to regain our financial footing. There would be more white envelope moments from what the world/church would call the unlovely people that my parents had helped over the years that came at just the right moment.

Ecclesiastes 11:1-2 Cast your bread upon the waters, for after many days you will find it again. Give portions to seven, yes to eight, for you do not know what disaster may come upon the land.

While Dorothy taught me many life lessons another white envelope moment taught me a God lesson.

The Blue Honda

My grandfather was a man of many colorful words. One of my favorite quotes was apropos to our family situation after the bankruptcy. "Being broke isn't embarrassing, it's just inconvenient." Gone were the work trucks, gone were the fancy luxury cars, leaving us with one beat up truck that would leave you on the road. Being left on the road in the middle of winter in Canada is not a good idea.

After a youth outing on a Saturday night my Mom had no way of picking me up as my Dad had our truck at work. Very Inconvenient. The pastor's wife, a good friend, offered to give me a ride home. At home she came in and had tea with us. Sitting in the living room we began to discuss the vehicle situation, actually the lack thereof. During the conversation she turned to my Mom and asked, "If you could have any car you wanted what would it be?" Mom replied, "A Honda because it's good on gas". Adding my two cents I said, "And I'd like it to be blue."

After church the following morning my Dad was standing in the foyer chatting with Charlie, a retired friend. Charlie asked my Dad, "We've noticed Darlene & Kim walking to church (we lived 2 blocks from the church) and hadn't noticed her car in the parking lot." It had been a car you couldn't miss, a big black four-door Lincoln, a mafia type ride. Dad explained that times were a little tough and the car had gone in the bankruptcy so we were walking. Without even missing a beat Charlie replied, "Kay and I are leaving tomorrow for Arizona and we'll be gone the entire winter. I'll just drop off the wife's car for them to use this winter."

An hour before Sunday evening service Charlie & Kay arrived at our doorstep with keys in hand. A wave of emotions overwhelmed us, there sitting in our yard was a blue Honda.

There are two types of people reading this blog.

• Those that are in need of a white envelope moment.


• Those that can supply a white envelope moment.

If you are in need of a white envelope moment, He has heard every prayer and cry of your heart. God knows exactly where you live!

If you can supply a white envelope moment open your heart to hear the Lord is telling you to do. A bag of groceries, $5, a gift card, a thinking of you card in the mail; it doesn't have to be thousands it just has to be something.


What was my God lesson? We need to listen to the prompting of the Lord; we may be God's answer to someone's prayer.


Lord, create white envelope moments.


Kim Angela