Charity

Last night for family home evening, we went to the store to get gifts for the kids' cousins. As we wandered down the isles, the "I want this" and "Mom, buy me that" made me feel a bit hopeless about my children really getting the true meaning of Christmas. We've been trying to teach them about service and giving to others, having them put coins in the red Salvation Army buckets, writing down our service for others, putting little yellow yarn pieces (straw) in a manger as we do secret service for our family members. However, all that "wanting" made me feel that the message just wasn't getting across. Perhaps all my questions of "what do you want for Christmas?" didn't help matters.

However, as we were getting ready to leave Brayden said, "Dad, there's ten bucks." Billy thinking he was talking about a toy costing ten dollars agreed. "No, Dad, There is ten bucks on the ground."

We picked it up and asked everyone around us if they had dropped it. Several people smiled, said no, and told Brayden it must be his lucky day. While Billy went to pay for our items, we waited there and asked around a little more. Then I told Brayden we needed to check customer service to see if anyone had lost it, and if not he could keep it.

Well, when we got to customer service, they lady told us they would keep it and see if anyone claimed it. Of course, I could just see some employee buying their dinner with it, so I asked, "Can you take our number, and if no one claims it, give us a call?"

"Well," she said, "if no one claims it, we donate it to charity. It is up to you if you want to turn it in or not."

I decided I would leave it up to Brayden, so I asked him what he wanted to do. His reply stopped me in my tracks. "Charity is the most important," and with that, he handed the ten dollars to the lady.

I was so proud of him. As we were walking out of the store, I was filling Billy in on what had happened. A woman came up behind us and asked Brayden if he was the little boy that had turned in the ten dollars. He said yes, then she proceeded to tell us that she had lost it and she appreciated him turning it in. Then, to make the ending even more perfect, she handed him two dollars. He was glowing with the knowledge he had done the right thing, and he now had two dollars to top it off!

Our lesson that night is one that I will always remember, "Charity is the most important!" Thank you Brayden for your very fine example. I love you!