ONE PROUD MOMMA!

The last way I want this post to read is as a "brag" about my child. So please don't read it that way. I'm just a proud momma and I want to share with you why that is...if you don't mind.

Parker was given an opportunity through the youth group at church to do a "pay it forward" project. If a kid didn't want to participate, they didn't have to. It was optional. Parker wanted to participate so we told him we would help with it.

Matthew 25:40
"The King will reply, 'Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.'"

That's the premise of the project. Starting with $100 Parker had to chose a way to use this money. He could decide to give it to charity, help a family, give it to a local organization...the choice was his. So we checked in with his principal at school and she gave us some options. Parker chose to help a local family who was going through some financial challenges right now. (We do not, nor do we want to know, who they are. Parker did not give them his name, either.)

Together we decided that he and I would go to local businesses to see if any of them would like to contribute to his starting amount of money, whether through a cash donation or a gift card, or whatever they felt they could do. We went out on Wednesday last week while he was on spring break. On Monday he presented a package to his principal for her to give to the family. The outside of the package simply read, "Matthew 25:40" and the contents of the package included the following:

* the original $100
* $50 gift card to the local grocery store
* a coupon for a free multi-point inspection at a local car dealership (includes inspect fluid levels, check steering, suspension, wiper blades, exhaust, undercarriage, belts and hoses)
* $50 fuel card to gas station
* $20 fuel card to gas station
* coupon for 5 cents off per gallon of gas at one of the gas stations
* 8 movie passes to our local theatre
* one free new release video rental at local video rental
* gift certificate for two large pizzas and pop at a local pizza place
* 50 gift certificate to another local pizza place
* 2 - $20 gift certificates for a locally own restaurant
* $25 gift certificate for a chain restaurant

The principal shared with me the following email message:

"The package has been delivered to the family and I wish I had a picture. One of the students stared at me with mouth open and was stunned. The 2nd student couldn't stop giggling with happiness and the parent had tears of joy."

I read the principal's email to Parker when he got home from school that afternoon. The grin on my sweet boy's face was ear-to-ear...and I gotta say, I had tears of joy, too...but tears of joy for my son's heart. He's a good boy. I hope this lesson of giving sticks with him from here on out...for it is better to give than to receive.

Peace and blessings.
Jeanine