my words

The youngest was bent out of shape over a birthday card.
We remembered to get his friend a gift card for his birthday but forgot to get an actual birthday card. While packing his things in preparation for a sleepover with the friend, he mentioned it.

"I don't have a card for him," he said.

We apologized but reminded him that the most important part was the actual gift (card).

After his un-oscar worthy reaction I remembered something. I'd purchased a box of birthday cards a few months prior.

"Yes! I have cards. Go look in the office," I told him.

Problem solved.

So I thought.

After shuffling through the cards he said, "I can't give him one of these cards."

"Why? What's wrong with those cards?" Daddy responded.

I didn't remember what was on the cards. Just figured they'd be great generic cards to have on hand in times like these. Perfect!

"These have stuff about the Bible," he complained

"WHAT?" I yelled. "You are embarrassed about the Bible?" I asked even though I wasn't really looking for an answer. It was more of an, "I know good and well you aren't embarrassed about the Bible!"

He sat there for a minute reading the cards again.

"Well, I don't know if he's atheist or if he goes to church or what," he said.

Daddy and I both started talking at the same time. In the same tone.

"So you are ashamed of the Gospel?" I asked.

"I mean, he's just an eleven-year-old boy like me. We don't have birthday cards with scriptures like ya'll," he informed me.

At this point I went from shock to thinking how funny it was. The look and worry on his face. Classic.

So I did what any other mother, who finds humor in many things, would do.

I had my phone, so I secretly started recording his reaction.

"I really don't think it would be a big deal if you gave him one of those cards. It's either one of those or nothing because we aren't going back out tonight to get a birthday card." I told him.

He began reading the cards. "See! It has long verses from the Bible. Too many and too long."

Then he got an idea. He ran out and came back in with a stack of birthday cards he'd been given for his birthday.

"Maybe I can just cross out these names of people who gave me these," he said, while looking through a few of them.

I told him how ridiculous it was an how sloppy it would look to do that.

He found one from Evan. "Yes this would work because I have an E in my name and it's the only one with a short name on it."

We told him it was getting late and he needed to go on and hit the sack. "Just give him the gift card rather than do all that."

He packed up his stuff and went to his room. Five minutes later he came running to show us something.

"Look at this! This is a card from him that he gave me last year and it has something about having a blessed birthday!"