Thursday, December 11, 2008

'Tis Better to Give than to Receive


Picture it...K-Mart, Hales Corners, Wisconsin (remember Sophia on the Golden Girls?) For those of you have never been to this particular location it is the exact same as K-Mart, Anywhere, USA.
The boys and I had just finished a sad winter tradition that we have begun since living in Wisconsin of 'go to the store and look at toys, but not buy' (I know sounds like some sort of torture treatment, but I swear the boys really like it) and as we were leaving I heard that all too familiar bell ring of the Salvation Army guy. "Ooh!" I thought to myself, "what a great opportunity to teach the boys a valuable lesson." It went as follows:
Me: Here boys (I hand them each a quarter) Would you like to put this in that man's red bucket?
Isaac: Yay!
Will: No.
I was actually kind of hoping for this response from Will, because it was just what I needed to open up my can of charity wisdom to share with him.
Me: Will, the money that we put in that bucket is for little kids who don't have warm coats to wear in the cold, and don't have any food to eat. Would you like to help them?
Will: No. I would like to put this quarter in my bank. Then I can buy my excavator (a toy that he has been coveting on each and everyone of our look but not buy toy trips)
Me: but Will, they don't have any food.
Will: I don't have an excavator!
I sat for a moment in stunned silence, Will looked lost in thought, and then said,
Will: I know! I will give them some of my food, and I can have an excavator.

4 comments:

AnnaMarie said...

I know! Will can grow up to be a General Authority, then tell that story in Conference!

Kali said...

What a cute story! It cracked me up! What a genius idea! :)

stef j. said...

sounds like a great idea to me... :)

Darcy said...

Will is one smart cookie! He figured out how to make eveyone happy share his food and use the money to buy what he wants!