Proverbs 18:16

Proverbs 18:16
A gift opens the way for the giver and ushers him into the presence of the great.

Life lessons even for a child of youth... My 8 yr old daughter experienced one of her first life lessons this weekend...

She came home excited and proud her name was chosen out of many to receive a gift
'A new coat, gloves and scarf' "Momma look what I won today" Delivered with the most precious smile.. She hurried to take her coat off and open the bag to try it on.. Along with the coat was a note stating it was donated and her name was drawn from a hat but if the coat is not needed please return or if the size is not right to take back to Sears and receive and even exchange for one that does..

As excited as she was she could not fit the coat. Her smile begin to turn upside down as the she tried vigorously to get the coat to fit perfectly and the gloves to glide over her hands. I assured her no worries we will take a trip to Sears after church Sunday and exchange it per the note on the bag.. She felt relieved because she "promised her teacher she would wear the New coat and pink gloves Monday to school to show her" ... There is nothing more pleasing to see your child filled with excitement over great things..

Sunday approached she was ready she had the bag in hand ready to go to church.. "Mom don't forget were going to sears after church today" "Yes MaKayla right after". We arrived to Sears, once we arrived to the return station the cashier apologized she could not exchange the coat because there was no receipt. We explained it was a donation to her school she had won and we showed her the note typed up from the principal about returning it for another size. She said OK find a coat and gloves that fits and bring it back to the cashier.. We did just that.

MaKaylas second moment of disappointment the coat she loved was not in her size. So we began looking for another same price same sale etc.. We found one same colors just a slight difference in design.. Smile back, We went back to the counter with the right sized gloves and coat and MaKayla smiling waiting anxiously for her new coat to take back to school Monday, to show her teacher how it looks.... After the cashier rang it up on the register she saw they were the same prices and everything same sale prices.. She then looked at me stated she could not give us the even exchange because we did not have the receipt, but we could pay the a balance due $24.00. I sadly looked at MaKayla and asked her " Do you think that God may have given you this coat to give to another Little girl that doesn't have a coat to keep her warm this year"? She looked at me with tears beginning to form and said "yes" I asked the cashier to "please put the coat and gloves back in the bag".

As we were walking out you could see the disappointment written all over my babies face.. We stopped after we exited and I asked her what she was thinking.. She began to explain, " I really wanted that coat" My heart crushed inside but my heart also knew that MaKayla may not have a brand new brown and pink coat but she did have a used pink coat from last year that served the purpose of keeping her warm just as warm as the new coat would have.. I shared what my heart was feeling with her and asked her "if you could choose to keep this coat even it doesn't fit, instead to give it to someone else who it will not only fit but allow her to be just as warm as you can be this winter with your pink coat", "Which would you choose with your heart?" She answered with tears and a smile "I would like to bless someone with this coat and God will bless me again later"! I looked at her with tears of personal guilt for disappointing her but because she went with her heart and choose to love another before herself the tears became of joy and honor in God that He is touching the very lives that He placed in my hands..

Moral of today's story.. I could have paid the difference for the coat, I could have allowed MaKayla to keep the coat it would have made it this winter or I could have given her the opportunity to bless someone else.. By allowing her to choose with Gods heart she became a better person then she may ever know at the young age of 8.. I am thankful for the presence of God in our lives and pray that He remains to be the key to our every door..

Encourage your children to live the life God chooses early by giving rather then always receiving, instead of encouraging them to take in life what we really do not need...

God Bless you
I love you!
Kristie ✿

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Ephesians 6:1

Children, obey your
parents in the Lord: for this is right. †
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We Are Humbled Brothers & Passionate Sisters in Christ