Stewardship Article

Wonder in a Hockey Shop

By Melinda Carr

What a gift my children are to me. Watching them grow, seeing their development and being a part of shaping a person is an awesome responsibility riddled with frustration and immeasurable joy. I see their enthusiasm and wonder and it reopens my eyes to the grace of our Father and His many blessings. My family recently had one of those moments in time where everything falls into place and the very presence of God is undeniable. It happened in a most unlikely place - an ice hockey pro shop (Just the place for a 10 year-old boy who needs to see God working in his everyday life!).

It all started with the Christmas money my boys received from their aunts, uncles and grandparents. You know what I mean - $20 here, $50 there. Soon they had $100 each; they were ready to hit the stores! But good old mom, she had other ideas. “You must tithe first.” (Moaning and groaning) “Give God your first fruits.” My kids have heard this all before. Then we had the rationalizing phase, you all know this….how many of us do this every month?
 

“But Mom, I only have 200 dollars! Dad told me he saw the “Warrior” hockey stick before Christmas and it was exactly $200, if I give money to the church I won’t have enough! You know I’ve been saving for this stick for months!” I respond, “No matter, you must tithe first. God says to test Him in this! Let Him prove to you that He will take care of you, if only you believe in Him FIRST!” Needless to say, John Montague, our Business Administrator at SAPC, didn’t see very happy, cheerful givers that day. But the boys did tithe their gifts.
 

I wish each of you could have been in that shop as my son found the stick he had been saving for months to buy. What a gift to see the dawning of understanding and wonder on his face. What joy to hear my son say ”Mom, my stick is on sale! It is only $80! Can you believe it? It is on sale!” Of course I could believe it. I KNEW he would have enough money. And then, as the Real reason for the stick only costing $80 hit him, the wonder in his voice as he says ”Mom, God took care of it, God IS always with me, just like you said!”
 

You see, this isn’t just a lesson for a 10 year-old, it’s for all of us, no matter our age. I wish you could have seen his face...the Wonder of It!
 

Melinda Carr, Stewardship Elder