12/31/04

To start this I must explain that Helen got one of those microbead pillows two weeks ago and loved it. She has slept with it everynight and wont go to bed without it. So last night was our Christmas exchange at Faith's parents house. There were 30 people here and they do the exchange white elephant style. Where we all fight over stuff. They break it up between the girls and guys. So I must go back now and tell you about Uncle Paul. He is big and has a very deep voice. Helen has always been very afraid of him. I mean burst into tears at the sight of him scared. He is a big teddy bear but she has just been too little to get it. This year was much better and she was ok with him but still kept her distance. She did sit beside him and pet his dog Fritz two days ago. We have prayed with her about it and we were happy that she was finally warming up to him. Well so last night at the exchange Paul wanted some tools but they got taken away from him so he decided on a microbead pillow but that got taken away from him too. Helen had been in the thick of all the shouting all night but I noticed she had gone. I figured all the shouting and laughing had finally got to her but then here she comes to talk to me with her pillow in hand from the bedroom upstairs. She said "Daddy can I want Uncle Paul to have my pillow." I nearly burst into tears at that. I said "Yes ma'am go give it to him." She walked across and told him that she wanted him to have it and he didn't know what to say. He managed a thank you and very puzzled look at us. We nodded and he took it. He tried to give it back to us later but we told him that would only undo what we were so proud of her for. She went to bed and asked for her pillow but I reminded her that she had given it to Paul and she said "oh". I let her pick a pillow from the room to sleep on and that was the end of it. She showed all of us what giving was really about. We prayed about it and thanked the Lord for ministering to us through Helen. I am very thankful to the Lord for such a wonderful daughter.