The Stuff Real Friends Are Made Of

It is moments like I am about to share with you that make your heart swell. These are the times you want to share with people when they ask you, 'Why would you want so many children?'

Today, my two boys were over at a friend's house for a few hours. During the visit, one of my boys called me and asked me if I could do something when I came to pick them up. Could I bring $10. You see, they know an eleven year old boy that has no parents. This boy tragically lost both his parents within a year of each other not that long ago. One to a car accident and the other followed with a stroke. This is not something you hear of much anymore. At least not in the paths that I have crossed in my lifetime.

Thankfully, this young boy has a much older brother, who he lives with. But it is not easy to raise a child as a single parent.

Cassidy and Austin heard from their friend that Jesse did not have an Air Soft gun. All the boys in their crowd: Cassidy, Austin, and their friends, Jake, John, and Brady all own guns, but Jesse does not have one, nor does he have the means to earn money to buy one.

They took it upon themselves to pitch in money, so that when it is his birthday in May, they can buy him a gun and a huge box of bullets. The one boy even has a jar at his house where he is collecting money and on it it says, "Do not remove money."

I was very touched to see Cassidy consider this a priority enough to call me from his visit time. We agreed that he would earn the money and then he would pitch in his $5 towards the purchase.

Later that evening, while I was making a snack, Austin came into the kitchen and said to me, "Mum, do you think I could go to work for Dad and earn $10?"

When I asked him why, thinking he wanted to buy a game for his DS or something, he replied, "Because Jesse doesn't have any mum and dad and we want to buy him an Air Soft gun for his birthday cause he can't earn the money himself." He figured if they each put in enough money they could buy Jesse the *best* gun, and not just a simple one. Plus, they could also buy him the largest box of bullets.

Those are the kind of people that make real friends! When they buy what they can just afford for themselves, but the best for their friends.

It is moments like these (and trust me, there *are* lots of them) when we are extra blessed, above and beyond the norm, for being parents!

And what is really neat about this is I feel that God just revealed something to me. Just a couple days ago, I fell across a really wonderful idea that I had decided to put into practice next Christmas. A friend had invited people over for a pre-Christmas party. People that would normally go without. She and her family went shopping and bought gifts for the people as well.

I so loved the idea that I ran it by Ray. Over the course of the next year we would watch for people - preferably one child for each of our children to invite - and maybe a single mum - that would have a hard time at Christmas. We would have the pleasure of shopping for each of these people. Then we would have them over and our house would be full of at least 20 people, so each one would not feel singled out, nor would they know why they were chosen. They would be informed that they were allowed to invite one friend, and so they chose 'you'. It would not be a 'charity' party. It would be a blessing to us.

I am so excited about this idea! To me this is a much more fun and Christmasy idea of a party than just a party with friends! I can just see the house all decked out in decorations and treats and punch laid out on the table, music playing, gifts under the tree! And then the guests of honour arrive. *smile*

Hopefully we are in our house and we will be able to do this. If not next year, then the following year. So I believe that God has already begun preparing the guests for us! How wonderful!
.