My Big God, my little boy...

Before you get started and just so you know... this is my longest post ever and no pictures. What's with that?! But as I lay in bed thinking about the whole event again a few nights later, I thought, I want to write that down so I don't forget... so this is where I wrote it down.

It never ceases to amaze me that the Creator of the universe, cares about the little things in my life. Or in this case, my son's life. Simple events and circumstances throughout the day that lead to a very meaningful, poignant little life lesson for a six year old. Now I know there are those who would give the credit to coincidence, mere happenings. But just like when you know someone so intimately that when a little surprise comes your way, and you know they had a hand in it. It has their "signiture" all over it. That was what happened looking back over the day once it was done.

Now Samuel has wanted a Hot Wheels race track for, well... ever. But, they're expensive, so alas he hasn't had one. So Tuesday afternoon we head over to the Thrift Store with a friend. I haven't had the time to check it out for months, but she's visiting her old stomping grounds and wants to check out the Thrift Store. Now Samuel doesn't come by money easily, and other than what he gets for his teeth, he earns most of his money. Picking up pinecones, cleaning the van out... the extras that don't really fit under just normal family responsibilities like making your bed and putting away your laundry. So Samuel takes a two Loonies out of his piggy bank and gives one to his visiting friend. Off we go.

Well of course Teigan has to go to the bathroom, so I leave the boys in the toy area of the store and tell them to stay there and I'll let my friend know to keep an eye on them. I get back just in time to see a sweet little old lady give each of the three boys a Loonie. I'm just about to say something. What, I'm still not sure, when she says to me, "oh no honey, please let me do this. I have great grandchildren that live so far away and I rarely ever get to see them. It would just make me so happy. And besides, I've so enjoyed listening to these two (Samuel and Liam) talk about how if they put their money together that they could buy the thing they want but then they wouldn't have any left for the little doll they found for their sister." So she gives them all a Loonie (and totally makes the boys' day!).

So the thing they were talking about pooling their money for was in fact a Hot Wheels race track. Complete with numerous tracks, loop d loops, race houses, gas station... for $2! Well, I'm almost as excited as they are because this certainly means that I don't have to even think about that track anymore. Yeah - besides it is really fun and I still remember ours from when we were kids - they're still the same bright orange tracks too. (Well, this may have been our set for all I know, but it's fabulous!)

Okay, so this wasn't supposed to be such a long story, but here's where it gets good. At least the life lesson part.

Samuel had his piano recital that same night and Grandma and Papa, Nana and Grandad... every one came to see him. Grandma and Papa gave him a card with a Toonie and two quarters in it. He was thrilled!

So after his adorable recital, which he did really great in, we decide to go see Surf's Up because it's just about to start and it's only 7:00, so we go have a little celebratory movie night. Great fun. Samuel though seemed a wee bit off. Nothing specific, just not quite right.

We're just about home when I say to him, "don't forget to call Mama and Papa and thank them for the card and the money." Oh my goodness! Now Samuel is not a child given to hysterics or tantrums or anything of the sort, but I'd say he was on the verge on hysterics. He just started bawling. Uncontrollably. We get home and Jason takes the other kids inside and Samuel and I sit for a while - quite a while because it took a good long time just to calm him down! He was sobbing and heaving and trying to say something, but I had no idea what. So when he finally calms down enough that I can somewhat understand him, he says, "those people at the movie theater are so disrespectful!" (I thought this was a bit of a humourous statement from a six year old, but I held my smile.) Then he starts bawling again and says, four times over before I actually make out what it is that he's trying to say, "I'm a bad boy." Well, if you know me very well, you'll know that I don't accept that from any kid, nor do I like that put on any kid. So I dealt with that first before we even moved on. "Are you kind to people?" Sniffles, snot, heaves, "yes." "And do you try your best to do the right thing and to listen and be good." More of the above, "Yes." "And do you love God and your family and your friends?" Still continuing but somewhat calmer, "Yes." "So... are you a bad boy or are you a good boy who maybe made a bad choice?" "I am a good boy. I did make a bad choice."

He put his Toonie in a candy machine at the theatre and got 4 candies. (He was expecting a bag full that he could share with everyone - hense the "disrespectful" movie people.) Now I don't know what kind of machine it was, but neverminding that, he lost, wasted to be more accurate, his special Toonie. I've already gone into way to much detail so I won't go into the rest of the discussion, but where it became poignant was talking about the value of money (and asking at this point in life because Mommy and Daddy have learned some of those lessons already) and what he could have bought with that money if he'd saved it. Then he realized that earlier that day for the same amount of money he'd made a great purchase. His first conclusion was, "I'll never eat candy again." Ya, sure. But he did end up really grasping it in the end. I wasn't planning on any big life lesson in the value of money, but honestly, I've never seen him so upset before. It was rather monumental. (He didn't want to tell Mama or Papa - and I told him that he didn't have to. Of course I did because they would appreciate the sweetness of it all.) I toyed with the idea of giving him a Toonie for the one he'd lost because I felt so badly for him, but then what kind of lesson would that have been? Throw away and waste your money and I'll just give you more? Ya right, there's some therapy I'd rather avoid!

So the whole God thing in all that? That evening as I lay in bed, I just thought about it all... going to the Thrift Store in the first place, the lady with the Loonie (not that I wouldn't have got him the track!) the race track (it couldn't have been anything more perfect except maybe a real quad). And the race track costing exactly $2.00. Like I said, it kind of had His signature on it. He does stuff like that. I just lay there and thanked God that in all of His wisdom and all the big things, He is so faithful and He cares even about a little thing like this for a six year old boy.