Me:  What are you doing?

 

Prodigal:  It is snack time, would you like some?

 

Me:  Sure thanks, for sharing and while we eat I have a story of another snack time.

 

Kay Bradshaw shares in the book Windows into Heaven by Stacy & Michelle Tetschner

 

One Saturday, I brought home some fast food for lunch.  I’m not exactly a health food nut, but I do know that french fries are not especially healthy for the body, so it is rare occasion that we indulge in that scrumptious treat.  This particular Saturday, we had french fries.

Parker, our son with Down syndrome, was about six years old at the time.  His older brothers and sisters were determined to teach him the “Look out the window!”  trick.  Over and over, they showed him that if you say in an excited voice, “Look out the window!”  the other person will turn his head and you can steal one of his fries.  When the kids thought Parker was ready for this trick, their dad walked into the room.  Everyone was excited to see Parker in action.

The anticipation was building as Dad sat down at the counter.  At the nudging of a sibling, Parker said, “Dad, look out the window!”  As was usually the case, everyone was pulling for him.  My husband turned his head and played along with Parker by looking out the window for an extra couple of seconds.  No one was prepared for what happened next.  Parker quickly placed a couple of his own french fries on his Dad’s plate.  When Dad turned his attention back, he expected to see less french fries on his plate.

To his surprise, everyone’s faces wore the emotions that Parker is so good at bringing to our family.  Instead of cheering his thievery, we were all humbled at his innocent, generous and loving spirit.  Oh, he was proud of himself for pulling off the trick his brothers and sisters had taught him.  Little did he know, he taught all of us that the most important lessons of life are learned not by looking out the window, but by looking through the spiritual picture window of this special boy.

 

Psalm 45:8

All thy garments smell of myrrh, and aloes, and cassia, out of the ivory palaces, whereby they have made thee glad.

 

Jennifer Van Allen

 

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www.faithincounseling.org