Moms Pumpkin Soup

John, 4, didn't usually behave well in restaurants. But when they took him to a boarding house restaurant with religious pictures and old plates everywhere, John sat up straight in his chair, had perfect manners, in short, he was a little angel.

After the meal, when she was buckling him into his carseat, his mother asked, "Did you like Hopkins' House?"

He replied, "What is Hopkins' House?"

"You know, the restaurant where we just ate."

"That wasn't Hopkins' House," John said, "that was Jesus' House!"

Astonished, his mother asked, "John, what makes you think that was Jesus' house?"

He looked at his mother as though he couldn't believe she would miss the clues and said;

"HIS MOM HAD PICTURES OF HIM ALL OVER THAT HOUSE!"

 

That story is from John's mother,
Dot Sims of Pensacola, Fla.

A little girl became a big sister and continually wanted to spend time alone with the new baby.

The mother was uneasy to leave the youngster alone with the newborn but the youngster persisted. Finally the mom told the little girl she could go into the baby's room alone.

Standing outside the room, the mother was able to hear her youngster talking to the baby in the crib, "Tell me what God looks like, I am starting to forget."

God made the world with its towering trees
Majestic mountains and restless seas
Then paused and said,
"It needs one more thing
Someone to laugh and dance and sing
To walk in the woods and gather flowers
To commune with nature in quiet hours."

So God made little girls
With laughing eyes and bouncing curls
With joyful hearts and infectious smiles
Enchanting ways and feminine wiles,
And when He'd completed the task He'd begun,
He was pleased and proud of the job He'd done
For the world when seen through a little girl's eyes
Greatly resembles Paradise.

Many years ago, when I worked as a volunteer at a hospital, I got to know a little girl named Liz who was suffering from a rare and serious disease.

Her only chance of recovery appeared to be a blood transfusion from her 5-year old brother, who had miraculously survived the same disease and developed the antibodies needed to combat the illness.

The doctor explained the situation to her little brother, and asked the little boy if he would be willing to give his blood to his sister. I saw him hesitate for only a moment before taking a deep breath and saying, "Yes, I'll do it if it will save her."

As the transfusion progressed, he lay in bed next to his sister and smiled, as we all did, seeing the color returning to her cheeks. Then his face grew pale and his smile faded. He looked up at the doctor and asked with a trembling voice, "Will I start to die right away?"

Being young, the little boy had misunderstood the doctor; he thought he was going to have to give his sister all of his blood in order to save her.

You see understanding and attitude, after all, are everything.

A little girl became a big sister and continually wanted to spend time alone with the new baby.

The mother was uneasy to leave the youngster alone with the newborn but the youngster persisted. Finally the mom told the little girl she could go into the baby's room alone.

Standing outside the room, the mother was able to hear her youngster talking to the baby in the crib, "Tell me what God looks like, I am starting to forget."

"Last week I took my children to a restaurant. My six-year-old son asked if he could say grace. As we bowed our heads he said, "God is good. God is great. Thank you for the food, and I would even thank you more if Mom gets us ice cream for dessert. And Liberty and Justice for all! Amen!"

"Along with the laughter from the other customers nearby I heard a woman remark, "That's what's wrong with this country. Kids today don't even know how to pray. Asking God for ice-cream! Why, I never!"

Hearing this, my son burst into tears and asked me, "Did I do it wrong? Is God mad at me?" As I held him and assured him that he had done a terrific job and God was certainly not mad at him, an elderly gentle man approached the table.

He winked at my son and said, "I happen to know that God thought that was a great prayer."

"Really?" my son asked

"Cross my heart." Then in theatrical whisper he added (indicating the woman whose remark had started this whole thing), "Too bad she never asks God for ice cream. A little ice cream is good for the soul sometimes."

"Naturally, I bought my kid's ice cream at the end of the meal. My son stared at his for a moment and then did something I will remember the rest of my life.

He picked up his sundae and without a word walked over and placed it in front of the woman. With a big smile he told her, "Here, this is for you. Ice cream is good for the soul sometimes and my soul is good already."

One day as I was picking the toys up off the floor
I noticed a small hand print on the wall beside the door.

I knew that it was something that I'd seen most every day but this time when I saw it there I wanted it to stay.

Then tears welled up inside my eyes, I knew it wouldn't last for every mother knows, her children grow up way too fast.

Just then I put my chores aside and held my children tight.

I sang to them sweet lullabies and rocked into the night.

Sometimes we take for granted all those things that seem so small.

Like one of God's great treasures..... a small handprint on the wall.

A store owner was tacking a sign above his door that read "Puppies For Sale." Signs like that have a way of attracting small children and sure enough, a little boy appeared under the store owner's sign."How much are you going to sell the puppies for?" he asked.


The store owner replied, "Anywhere from $30 to $50."

The little boy reached in his pocket and pulled out some change. "I have $2.37," he said. "Can I please look at them?"

The store owner smiled and whistled and out of the kennel came Lady, who ran down the aisle of his store followed by five teeny, tiny balls of fur. One puppy was lagging considerably behind.

Immediately the little boy singled out the lagging, limping puppy and said "What's wrong with that little dog?"

The store owner explained that the veterinarian had examined the little puppy and had discovered it didn't have a hip socket. It would always limp. It would always be lame.

The little boy became excited. "That is the little puppy that I want to buy."

The store owner said, "No, you don't want to buy that little dog. If you really want him, I'll just give him to you."

The little boy got quite upset. He looked straight into the store owner's eyes, pointing his finger, and said, "I don't want you to give him to me. That little dog is worth every bit as much as all the other dogs and I'll pay full price. In fact, I'll give you $2.37 now, and 50 cents a month until I have him paid for."

The store owner countered, "You really don't want to buy this little dog. He is never going to be able to run and jump and play with you like the other puppies."

To this, the little boy reached down and rolled up his pant leg to reveal a badly twisted, crippled left leg supported by a big metal brace.

He looked up at the store owner and softly replied, "Well, I don't run so well myself, and the little puppy will need someone who understands!"

I get to select when, what and where I want to eat.

I still skip rocks on the water and I can play in a mud puddle and not get in trouble.

I can buy all the M&M's I want.

I love to watch my kids enjoy Christmas.

I can have a snack whenever I want, join the YMCA and go on vacations.

I appreciate being happy because I know what it feels like to be unhappy.

I'm glad I am an honest and good person and set an example.

I am glad I am aware of nuclear weapons, prejudice, starving, abused kids, and other bad things--I can work at fixing these things.

I can appreciate the concept of death because I have lived a long time.

I am glad that I know which things are important and which are not.

I know there are more things to life than television.

There are still so many firsts left to get excited about.

I have the power to make people happy.

I still enjoy that walk down the beach.

I enjoy riding my bike with my children and enjoy watching that first tooth come in and come out.

I've accomplished a lot in my life and can appreciate it.

When I'm having a hard day, I appreciate the good days even more.

No, I'd never want to be six years old again.

A little boy was overheard praying: "Lord, if You can't make me a better boy, don't worry about it. I'm having a real good time like I am!"

Johnny had been misbehaving and was sent to his room. After a while he emerged and informed his mother that he had thought it over and then said a prayer. "Fine," said the pleased mother. "If you ask God to help you not misbehave, He will help you." "Oh, I didn't ask Him to help me not misbehave," said Johnny. "I asked Him to help you put up with me."

A woman invited some people to dinner. At the table, she turned to her six-year-old daughter and said, "Would you like to say the blessing?" I wouldn't know what to say," the little girl replied. "Just say what you hear Mommy say, " the mother said. The little girl bowed her head and said, "Dear Lord, why on earth did I invite all these people to dinner?"

A rabbi said to a precocious six-year-old boy: "So your mother says your
prayers for you each night? Very commendable. What does she say?" The little
boy replied, "Thank God he's in bed!"

A little boy's prayer. "Dear God, please take care of my daddy and my mommy and my sister and my brother and my doggy and me. Oh, please take care of yourself, God. If anything happens to you, we're gonna be in a big mess."

It was that time during the Sunday morning service for "the Children's Sermon". All the children were invited to come forward and one little girl was wearing a particularly pretty
dress. As she sat down, the Pastor leaned over and said to her, "That is a very pretty dress. Is it your Easter dress?"

The little girl replied, directly into the pastor's clip-on microphone, "Yes, and my Mom says it's a real pain to iron.

A five-year-old said grace at family dinner one night. "Dear God, thank you for these pancakes." When he concluded, his parents asked him why he thanked God for pancakes when they were having chicken. He smiled and said, "I thought I'd see if He was paying attention tonight."

One night Mike's parents overheard this prayer. "Now I lay me down to rest, and
hope to pass tomorrow's test, if I should die before I wake, that's one less test I have to take.

During the minister's prayer one Sunday, there was a loud whistle from one of
the back pews. Gary's mother was horrified. She pinched him into silence, and
after church, asked: "Gary, whatever made you do such a thing?" Gary answered
soberly: "I asked God to teach me to whistle... And He just then did!"

A daddy was listening to his child start his prayer with "Dear Harold". At this, dad interrupted and said, "Wait a minute, How come you called God, "Harold"? The little boy looked up and said, "That's what they call Him in church. You know the prayer we say, "Our Father, who art in Heaven, Harold be Thy name."


And this particular four-year-old prayed: "And forgive us our trash baskets as we forgive those who put trash in our baskets."

One Sunday in a Midwest city a young child was "acting up" during the morning
worship hour. The parents did their best to maintain some sense of order in the
pew but were losing the battle. Finally the father picked the little fellow up
and walked sternly up the aisle on his way out. Just before reaching the safety
of the foyer the little one called loudly to the congregation, "Pray for me!
Pray for me!"