We had an opportunity this week to buy a car valued at over $3,000 in the blue book, for just $500. My aunt bought the car new back in the day, has meticulously maintained it, and is now buying a new vehicle. So we know about every problem and repair the car has ever had, and have complete confidence that this is an amazing deal. The dealership offered her a mere $500 for it as a trade-in, and she decided if that’s all she was going to get for it, she might as well let us have it for that price. In spite of the fact that money is unbelievably tight right now – because of various circumstances, we are now subsisting on just 30% of my husband’s paycheck – we scraped up the money. (Thank you, God!)
Now, the dilemma: it’s a second family car, but the primary driver will be our daughter. She’s been at camp all week, and has no idea about this. The opportunity came up on Tuesday, and we got the car yesterday. We were up late last night, thinking up the best possible way to surprise her when she gets home from camp later today. The top two so far include –
- have her friend Sarah sitting in the car with the motor running when we drive up, so that she thinks the car is something her friend just got. While she’s rejoicing with Sarah, Sarah will give her the keys and say, it’s your car, not mine!
- park the car on the side of the house near her bedroom window. Come home and let her start unpacking, then tell her, by the way, you have a new chore to do. When she asks what, raise the blinds and tell her she has to wash it and gas it up every week.
- park the car in the back yard, tell her there’s a surprise for her somewhere around the house, and wait until she sees it.
We’re still debating; we have a few more hours to decide. But what really struck me last night as we joyfully plotted and schemed over this, was this verse:
Ask and it shall be given to you; seek and you shall find; knock and it shall be opened to you. For each one who asks receives; and he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, if his son asks a loaf, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks a fish, will he give him a snake? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father in Heaven give good things to those who ask Him?
(Matthew 7:7-11)
Think of God in Heaven, planning how to bless His children. It’s an amazing thought.
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