Sunday, April 24, 2011

The Lengths Parents Go......

It is Easter! In our house that means ridiculous amounts of candy!! Each of our children get a total of 4 Easter baskets, and I have 4 children.....if you did the math....that's right 16 Easter baskets in all!! I told you...a ridiculous amount of candy!!

We were fortunate to spend part of the Easter weekend in our home town with family. But, that also meant that 12 of the 16 Easter baskets had to be transported on a three hour trip back home along with 4 kids, 2 dogs and their kennel, our suitcases, several purses and jewelry from my parent's salon (for an upcoming purse/jewelry party) and all four kids pillow pets and various toys....needless to say we were LOADED with hardly any room to breathe!

So, in an effort to save room I was attempting to consolidate the Easter basket contents and leave the baskets at my mom's house. I am hurriedly trying to pack things up so we can get on the road. As I am dumping the Easter grass, candy wrappers and half chewed on candy into the trash can I hear the unmistakable "jingle" of change hit the can. My heart sunk!

The night before the kids had hunted for eggs filled with quarters. At that exact moment I remembered one of the children had left their quarters in their basket. I stared into the half full can of garbage debating what to do....I KNEW they would ask where their quarters had gone...and I just couldn't tell them I had thrown them away! I knew what I had to do.....I began by gingerly pulling out that annoying, green Easter grass shaking it ever so slightly listening intently for that jingling of the quarters again.....then onto the large empty cereal box. I pulled it out shaking it hoping to hear the quarters in it. No such luck. Then on to the empty chip bag, I could hear the quarters, but I could not find them. Finally at the bottom of the can with all the chewed on jellybeans, some egg shells from colored eggs, coffee grounds and some bits of scrambled eggs I found all four quarters! I thought to myself, "It is amazing the lengths we go as parents for our kids!"

Then my next thought was, "What great lengths our Heavenly Father has gone for us!" Especially in this Easter season, remembering that our Father in Heaven gave His Son for death on the cross so that we may have a personal relationship with Him! How humbling! That far out weighs digging in the garbage for quarters!

"For God SO loved the world (us) that He gave His ONE and ONLY Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16

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