Sometimes, I think we could stand to take faith cues from our children a little more often.
"So I have $20 to my name right now. Bills are paid and food is bought, but there just wasn’t much leftover this week. That’s okay. Then on the way home from grocery shopping today, my kids begged for ice cream. Begged. Cried real tears. All the drama.
I said no. I’m short on money and I might need that $20 before payday. We have plenty of good food at home; we don’t need to stop at the ice cream store.
I heard little sighs from the back seat, and then, “God, we’d really love some ice cream. Is there any way you can give mommy some money so we can get some ice cream tonight? We know you can. Thank you.”
Oh good grief. “Guys,” I said, “God isn’t going to drop money on our door step so you two can get ice cream. He’s BUSY right now with natural disasters.”
“Nope,” my son Josh said. “God said you’ll have plenty of money for ice cream and to give some to the natural disaster people.”
“Josh…it doesn’t work that way,” I started, and then gave up. And then we got home.
And on my doorstep was the mail.
In the mail was an envelope.
In the envelope was a check for $123. From an overpayment on a student loan I paid off…in 2007. The kids were not surprised. God was not surprised. They got ice cream. The Red Cross got a donation.
And Mom remembered, yet again, what it means to have the faith of a child."