taking the long way home.

funny story.  well, sort of.  more sweet than funny. pun intended.  and perhaps, quite shameful.

a little one in my class came in with a bag full of individually packaged, homemade brownies yesterday.  as a half day, we didn't have anyone bringing snack, and she asked to pass them out to the class.  so at lunch, i allowed her to, only to realize we came up three short (confession. i ate one. don't tell. i didn't realize we were going to be short, but we still would've been even if i hadn't).  she broke her brownie into four pieces and shared with the three girls at her table.  without one complaint from any of them.  in fact, i only saw gratitude and enjoyment from these sweet ones.

within 10 minutes, i find the note from her mother in her binder (that she did not turn in in the morning!):  "her father made the brownies for the PTO bake sale.  couldn't remember if it was today or tomorrow.  thanks!"

uh-oh.

on the upside, the brownies were delicious and super moist.  maybe even made with pumpkin or applesauce or some super unhealthy version of lard only used by the best of chefs.  but perhaps even more important than the 4 or so dollars these brownies would have raised at the bake sale was the fact I got to witness, for perhaps the first time for this little girl, a selfless act of serving her peers.  and i was reminded of Jesus.  and this week, i need as many reminders of Christ to ward off this nagging enemy of defeat that keeps trying to drag me down.  if nothing else, i saw the beginnings of a life that favors others over self, and that my friends, is a beautiful thing to witness in the life of a child.