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$1.61

so today was a half day for my kiddos! they had received these free wendy's frosty coupons back at halloween and had been patiently waiting for the day we could use them. i told them that i would pick them up today and we would get a frosty and then get a present for their cousin.

so they had been waiting all week!! i mean talking about it pretty much non-stop this morning. so i picked them up in the miserable icy cold rain and off we went. i happened to notice just before i left that the coupon listed city locations and did not include our town, but hey - wendy's is wendy's right! so the kids marched in and mapboy placed his coupon on the counter. the guy looked at the card and then at mapboy and said, "sorry, this won't work here!" mapboy just looked at me and then the guy as he started to walk away.

now, normally a meltdown would be quick to follow. so we headed outside. the whole time i was thinking we were only getting the frosty because they were free. so we load back in the car and the crying begins. now, they were genuine tears of sadness - of that i'm sure. they even asked if i would drive them to the city to get one. well, frankly it would cost me more to drive to the city for the free frosty than to just buy them here.

so we take off back home...the kids are crying and i'm giving them a lecture about how we are watching what we spend when God gave me a big smack in the face. you see, just this morning i managed to find enough money to have chai with a friend. and hubby had managed to find enough money to have coffee twice. "yeah, well this is a treat for them, God and they need to learn to handle disappointment. right?"

God so kindly smacked me again. "why is your coffee more important? isn't that really a treat?"

oh....so realizing that my kids hearts had been broken. and yes, i know it really is only a frosty and i should just make them deal with it, i realized that well, it frankly wasn't fair for me to lecture them about saving our money. their 2 junior frosties would cost far less than my chai this morning...

so..after an unsuccessful shopping trip we headed back and this time i purchased the frosties. it cost all of $1.61. and they were thrilled. we have cut off a lot of our outings so this really was a treat for them.

i will admit, that part of me wanted to tell the nice guy inside that what i paid 1.61 for surely cost them no more than 80 cents and why did he have to reject the cute little boy that proudly handed over his free frosty card?

but hey...that is life..and i guess i need to be living what i'm preaching to my kids a little bit better!

Comments

jillian4 said…
Very well said....isn't it wild at how God will convict us over the smallest things.....:):)
December 9, 2008 at 10:11 PM
the pastor's wife said…
love that story. you're a good mom.
December 15, 2008 at 12:13 PM
Kevin Flick said…
where are you? i need a new post. i keep checking. am missing you! :)
December 15, 2008 at 11:19 PM
Kevin Flick said…
i thought your cards were so pretty! i love that picture so much. i saw it on your hubby's blog and knew it was a keeper. it was perfect for your card!
December 16, 2008 at 5:01 PM
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