No Charge

Mikey ran up to his room after finishing his chore of mowing the lawn. He took out the Work Request his mom had given him the previous week, and proudly checked off the last one on the list. He added up the total. Sweep sidewalk: $1. Clip grass around trees: $2. Mow lawn: $10. Total due: he wrote in $13 and signed it. Then he ran downstairs to put it prominently on the kitchen counter where she would surely see it.

Back in his room, Mikey thought about all the money he had saved – all the gifts he could buy for Christmas. He would get a new Barbie for his cousin, and maybe a crib toy for his new little baby brother. And for his best friend, John, he would get the best present of all: the K'NEX Screamin' Serpent roller coaster. Man! This thing has 1280 pieces and will be sooo much fun to put together. He figured it would take the better part of Christmas break to put the thing up, but then just think of all the fun -- just like a real roller coaster with sounds and everything. Mikey printed out a picture of it and tucked it safely in the money jar.

But Mikey had a problem. He had some money left over and try as he might, he could not think of anything cool to get his mom and dad. He thought about it for weeks. Nothing.

Then came Thanksgiving dinner. Dad asked, like he does every year, "Name one thing you are thankful for this last year."

Each family member took their turn talking about, well mostly about a new baby, then it was Mikey's turn. He thought about it, about all his completed Work Requests, about the money left over, about presents for Mom and Dad. Then it came to him, "I'm thankful for all the stuff Mom and Dad do for nothing."

After dinner, back in him room, Mikey pulled out the picture of the Screamin' Serpent and emptied out the jar. He counted the money: $34 total. Then his Thanksgiving words echoed in his ears and it all made sense. He finally knew just what to give Mom and Dad for Christmas. He printed out an official-looking piece of paper which read:

Work Request Rebate

Sweep sidewalk (qty 2): $2
Clip grass around trees (qty 1): $2
Mow lawn (qty 2): $20
Wash dishes: (qty 10): $10
Total rebate: $34

He signed it, put it in an envelope along with the $34 and wrote "To Mom, Merry Christmas, Love Mikey" on the front.

Then he took a blank Work Request and wrote:

Make dinner (qty 365): NO CHARGE
Take me to hockey practice (qty 40): NO CHARGE
Help me with homework (qty zillions): NO CHARGE
Teach me how to steer a canoe: NO CHARGE

He put this in another envelope and wrote: "To Dad, Merry Christmas, Love Mikey."

You can imagine what happened at Christmas. After all the boxes were opened, there remained only two envelopes under the tree. Mikey went to retrieve them.

"You gotta open them together," he instructed. Then he stood proudly with his hands behind his back, waiting, rocking expectantly from toe to heel.

As the envelopes were opened, as Mom and Dad read what Mikey had written, he knew instantly that this was no ordinary present. This was not going to be a "gee thanks" moment. As the tears of joy welled up in Mom and Dad's eyes, they took their 8-year-old boy in their arms and said, "Thank you Mikey. Thank you so much. You have no idea what this means to us."

For Mom could see visions of taking the $34 representing the Holy Spirit working through the love of her child along with a donation of her own and loving it forward – forwarding the money on to continue its sacred work in God's way somewhere else in the world.

And Dad could see God's great gift of the talents he was given and all the things He does in his life. He felt a little of what God feels when we turn and say "thank you" to the One who freely gives us so much. Then as he looked up and whispered, "Thank you Lord", he thought he heard a whisper back, "No charge. Pass it on."