"It is More Blessed to Give Than to Receive"

I remember when I grew out of Halloween. I was a teenager. I still wanted it to be magical and fun, but parents began to look at me with suspicion when I went trick-or-treating and dressing-up was an afterthought-throw on your cheerleading uniform. I never thought that Halloween could return to being truly fun and that it could actually be even more magical than when I was young.

That perspective changed 7 years ago at my son's first Halloween. He was 10 months old and thought that getting dressed up was hillarious. We went to a little parade outside our student housing where a band was doing a show for the kids. He as so excited. His face was beaming and he was clapping his hands. I couldn't help it...I started to cry. I was so happy to see his happiness. I was so grateful that people would make his day special. The happiness of my first Halloweenas a mother far exceeded any happines that I felt as a child. I marveled at it and then remembered a scripture, "Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive."

I felt the same joy this month when my sister-in-law's family took us fishing. My boy was beside himself that he got to go on a boat and fish! Seeing his excitement, thrill, and gratitude was too much for me to bear and I started to cry. I brushed the tears away hoping no one would see because how could I explain? I don't even understand why I cry in those moments. I just felt gratitude for those that gave my son something that I couldn't give him that he really wanted. And I felt joy in helping to give my son something that he loved.

That fishing trip was more joyful than any such trip that I had when I was growing up. That amazes me because my parents knew how to have a party! We had a lot of fun growing up. There were always vacations to amusement parks, Hawaii, National Parks, camping, Giants game at Candlestick Park, day trips to Bridgeport, Pajaro Dunes, and you name it. We either were partying together or working together.

My thirty seven year old sister told me that this summer has been the funnest summer of her life. A sane person might ask how driving back and forth from Tennesse to Utah, living out of a suitcase for two months, going off of no sleep, mothering 5 kids without husband and home to make it easier could possibly feel that way. The answer was because it was so joyful to see her children so happy and having fun.

"Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive." And so, life just keeps getting better.