I pick Sydney up from school in the afternoons because Sam has football practice. I usually bring her back to my office with me since it is so late in the day. We have a conference room with a couch and a TV, snacks and an outlet for a phone charger....ya know, the basic necessities for after school happiness.
Sometimes she will sit in with me and yap, yap, yap about her day while I work.....and today was no different. I must say, that if I'm busy, I will sometimes tune most of what she is saying out while I try multi-tasking. I've gotten good at catching about every third word and still getting the point of the story. Anyway, today....she prefaced this event by saying, "I did something really good today, Mom." Which caught my full attention.
Sam does take her to school in the mornings, and both of my children are fanatical about not only being somewhere "on time".....but early. They get that from me. I'm the same way. Anyway, Syd hasn't been too awfully happy about "getting to school at the butt-crack of dawn" (her words....in her snide, shrill, yet country voice) when "hardly annnnyone is there." Apparently, parking spots are golden.
Nevertheless, she sits in the truck for a bit before heading up the hill to the Jr. High. Today, she hopped out of the truck when she saw people starting to trickle in and as she was walking she looked down and saw a $20 bill. She looked around and no one was closeby. Remember....they were there with the chickens. lol Still, she said, "Mom, I started to just keep it. But then I thought it was probably someone's lunch money and I would hate it if they couldn't eat lunch today." So she marched into the office and turned it in. Wow. I stared at her and tears were welling up with pride. Bless this sweet child.
Syd has a bit of history with finding money. Last spring, we were in Hot Springs and stopped at the Purple Cow to eat after the game. It was late and we were the only ones in there.....complete with stares from the waiter as we walked in 30 minutes before closing. Anyway, I had lectured the kids ....money is tight, we are drinking water and ordering no appetizers. We don't eat out often, but had no choice due to the game and the lateness of the hour.
After we ate, we were headed to the car and Syd saw something up on the grassy median up next the road. She heads up there and it was a $100 bill. Sam and David then started looking around and I think they found a $20 bill and maybe a few ones scattered about. David headed to knock on the door of the restaurant but they "pretended" not to see us, already aggravated that they didn't get to close up early. So, we let the kids have the money. Sam was a little perturbed that HE didn't find the 100. ha
That said, she was notorious for losing money too. And spending it! lol Once at Magic Springs, she lost $50 rummaging through the beach bag and not being careful. So it goes both ways, I guess.
Anyway, back to today. When she turned in the money to the office, the counselor wrote her name on it and said that if no one claimed it in a couple of days that the money would be hers for her honesty. That was a sweet gesture as well. While Syd was telling me that part....she went on to say, "Do you think they would let someone eat if they told them they lost their money?" That was her focus.
One of the many ways that I was touched my child today. Wonder if she knows what an impact she has on me each day. Thank you God for choosing me to be her momma.
For you my Syd......
Psalm 26:1-4 Declare me innocent, O Lord,
for I have acted with integrity;
I have trusted in the Lord without wavering.
Put me on trial, Lord, and cross-examine me.
Test my motives and my heart.
For I am always aware of your unfailing love,
and I have lived according to your truth.
I am so proud of her.
In Him,
Terri
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