Every Sunday after church we have lunch at my parents' house. Dad cooks, mom cleans up, and my kids and my brother's kids play the afternoon away. It has been this way every Sunday for the 11 years we have lived here. I love that my kids will grow up with memories of special days at Grandma and Grandpa's house. The plaque on the door of their house says, "Grandpa and Grandma's Place, always time for kids." And that is the truth. All 8 grandchildren love being there!
A couple of Sundays ago the weather was beautiful and the lemon tree in the backyard was loaded down with lemons, so the girls asked if they could pick some and make lemonade. They worked hard squeezing the gigantic lemons into a pitcher. Eventually they had made enough lemonade that they decided to have a lemonade stand. They made signs, got a "money box", set up a table and waited for customers. My parents live at the end of a cul-de-sac. (not many drive-bys).
The little girl from across the street was over for the afternoon and since she knows the neighbors she started going door to door selling the little cups of homemade lemonade. In her excitement, the neighbor girl told some folks that they were selling it for "the old people." She had $2 that somebody had donated - they didn't even want a cup of lemonade. Immediately, our girls (Lexie and my two nieces) said, "You can't do that. That is a lie. We weren't giving it to old people, we were going to split the money up." (I was standing just a few feet away so I had the privilege of listening to the whole conversation.) The neighbor girl is not being raised in a Christian home - she saw nothing wrong with telling people a "story" to get them to buy a drink. But our girls - oh how proud I am of them - they told her to take the money back. She didn't want to. So without a second thought our girls decided to really donate the money. They began chattering back and forth about ideas of who they could give the money to - how they could use it to bless "old people" or kids in the hospital. And just like that, it was decided. They would donate the money.
When it was all said and done they had raised $14.25. My nieces had raised $10 a few days earlier and Lexie wanted to give her $6 too. So now they had $30.00 to donate. (as I type this, Kenadie (who was at youth camp when this happened) just gave $5.00 too!) Grand total - $35.25!
A few days later my sister-in-law called the Children's Hospital here in town to ask about what they needed. She finally heard back from them today and guess what! They girls are going to be on the news tomorrow morning! We will be heading to IHOP where news crew will be to interview the girls. IHOP partners with The Children's Miracle Network by having Pancake Day. The serve free pancakes and ask that people would donate to The Children's Miracle Network after they eat. The timing of their lemonade stand and Pancake Day just happens to be perfect - no surprise to the Lord or to us! The girls will have a few minutes to share their story and then they will hand the money over right then and there! They are over the moon excited! They get to be on TV!!!!!
The best part of it all is that the Lord is rewarding them for doing the right thing. He is showing these girls at their tender ages that He is pleased with them and He delights in blessing them. They are learning the great truth - It is more blessed to give than to receive!
So, I wrote that last night...it is now Tuesday morning and we just got back from IHOP. The girls were interviewed live on one TV channel and recorded for another. They even got to be interviewed on a local radio station. And the whole family ate free pancakes!
The lady in charge of Children Hospital here in Bakersfield and I had the opportunity to talk a bit after the interviews were over. She marveled at the timing of it all and I was able to share that the Lord is always right on time! She said their $35 may as well be $3,500 - she is so blessed by their generosity and hopes that others will be inspired to give as well. It is a reminder that every dollar counts. No amount is too small. It makes me think about all those who have given to help families bring home a little one from another country. Or those who will pack a journey bag for a foster child or send a birthday card. Or those who sponsor children in far away lands. We can all make a difference. We can all be that little boy who shares his lunch with Jesus - and watch Him bless and multiply it.
I hope my girls always remember the day Jesus honored their honesty and desire to do what was right. I hope the lesson learned today is not "don't lie" but rather the Lord delights in blessing His children. He went above and beyond to show 4 little girls that He loves them and is pleased with them. As a mom, I am so blessed to have witnessed the whole discussion between the girls that day. I am so proud of them for doing what was right. And I love that the Lord blessed them the way He did today.
(a good mom would have remembered her camera and video camera...hopefully we can get a copy of the broadcast or find a link to it on their website)
To God be the glory, great things He has done!
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