A little girl went to her bedroom and pulled a glass jelly jar
from its hiding place in the closet.

She poured the change out on the floor and counted it careflly. Three
times, even. The total had to be exactly perfect. No chance here for
mistakes.

Carefully placing the coins back in the jar and twisting on the cap, she
slipped out the back door and made her way 6 blocks to Rexall's Drug
Store with the big Red Indian Chief sign above the door.

She waited patiently for the pharmacist to give her some attention, but
he was too busy at this moment. Tess twisted her feet to make a scuffing
noise. Nothing. She cleared her throat with the most disgusting sound she
could muster. No good. Finally she took a quarter from her jar and banged
it on the glass counter. That did it!

"And what do you want?" the pharmacist asked in an annoyed tone of voice.
I'm talking to my brother from Chicago whom I haven't seen in ages," he
said without waiting for a reply to his question.

"Well, I want to talk to you about my brother," Tess answered back in the
same annoyed tone. "He's really, really sick.....and I want to buy a
miracle."
I bet your pardon?" said the pharmacist.

"His name is Andrew and he has something bad growing inside his head and my
Daddy says only a miracle can save him now. So how much does a miracle cost?"

"We don't sell miracles here, little girl. I'm sorry but I can't help you,"
the pharmacist said, softening a little.

"Listen, I have the money to pay for it. If it isn't enough, I will get the
rest. Just tell me how much it costs."

The pharmacist's brother was a well-dressed man. He stooped down and asked
the little girl, "What kind of a miracle does your brother need?"

"I don't know," Tess replied with her eyes welling up. I just know he's really
sick and Mommy says he needs an operation. But my Daddy can't pay for it, so
I want to use my money."

"How much do you have?" asked the man from Chicago.

"One dollar and eleven cents," Tess answered barely audible.
"And it's all the money I have, but I can get some more if I need to."

"Well, what a coincidence," smiled the man. "A dollar and eleven cents.....
the exact price of a miracle for little brothers."
He took her money in one hand and with the other hand he grasped her mitten
and said "Take me to where you live. I want to see your brother and meet your
parents. Let's see if I have the miracle you need."

That well-dressed man was Dr. Carlton Armstrong, a surgeon specializing in
neuro-surgery. The operation was completed free-of-charge and it wasn't
long before Andrew was home again and doing well.

Mom and Dad were happily talking about the chain of events that had led them
to this place.

"That surgery," her Mom whispered, "was a real miracle. I wonder how much it
would have cost?"

Tess smiled. She knew exactly hom much a miracle costs.....one dollar and
eleven cents.....plus the faith of a little child.

In our lives, we never know how many miracles we will ever need.

A miracle is not the suspension of natural law, but the operation of a
higher law. I know you'll keep the ball moving!

A ball is a circle, no beginning, no end. It keeps us together just like our
circle of friends. But the treasure inside for you to see, is the treasure
of friendship you've given me. So....keep the ball rolling, my friend.