SPT ~ Joy

Last night we fed the missionaries (I didn't get any pictures, drat).
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What joy they bring into our home; they were so grateful for the meal; polite, we love to hear their different stories of experiences from their mission, we quiz them on their favorite places from this mission, and they bring such a special spirit into our home when they come.

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We shared some really special thoughts about giving and the true meaning of this season.
We read a letter home from our nephew missionary in Chile, they really enjoyed that we shared that with them, and they loved hearing about the warm weather there.
The teenager shared a spiritual thought.

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And then as they went off to their busy schedule of the night, we went out to get our giving tree gifts. We have a 2 year old boy that wanted train toys.

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It was a joy to have my boys really get into this the way they did. It wouldn't be just a grab and go gift, that I bring home and wrap and ship myself... it was full of time together, and extended thought and searching for just the right gifts.

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I had no idea toy train shopping could be so involved.... but I loved every grueling minute of it!
(Not to old, not too young, not too noisy (noisy toys are reserved for giving to your nieces and nephews to best annoy your favorite siblings... not to punish other unsuspecting parents) not too messy, just the right size for his little hands, something that would for sure get endless hours of playtime on Christmas morning! and all of us had to agree on it!)

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I lacked the faith that my boys would turn it into such a special time for our family. So the 1st hour I really missed out. Soon after I learned that their hearts were definitely in the right place and I just couldn't see it through all my doubt.

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At the second store, the teenager who in my eyes seemed to just wander off with his own agenda... called me on my cell phone "where are you, I found the perfect gift!!!!". After locating each other, it was true, he had found just the right toy train set. Not to old... not too young... and we all agreed on it!



He had heard every single instruction, just when even I was beginning to get frustrated wondering if the perfect gift would be out there... the teenager, of all of us, would come up with it!

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Joy to my heart!

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On the way home... the teenager said he wanted to find out who it was for, and he wanted to be there when he opened it! Even bigger joy to my heart was listening to his Dad explain why it was to be a secret from him, and from us! I sat their with my dark sunglasses on for the ride home in the dark with tears streaming down from my face!

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Joy, Joy, Joy!

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They get it! And to put the cherry on top... since I am running like a chicken with my head cut off, trying to have everything else in my life ready to leave for my trip in the morning, they offered to wrap it and get it delivered to our RS Presidency.

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So here comes my lesson... all day I am looking at those gifts, unwrapped, with only a promise that they will take care of it! My challenge is NOT to wrap the gifts... it's making me crazy, but I have to trust in my boys and LET them do this!!! It will mean that much more, if they actually get it wrapped and delivered without me doing it for them.

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So I am sitting on my hands, this is hard for me!

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Joy!
Think of the Joy it will give them!
Think of the Joy I will have when they follow through!
Trust and Joy! Not my strong suits, but I have to learn to start trusting and letting go.
And embrace the Joy!!!