The simple gift of a little emerald, green bottle.

It was a beautiful spring day in town at a friend's home.  We were just a few moms who educated at home with our children for a time together.  The others had mostly boys with my son being the oldest.  He enjoyed these times with all the guys and they enjoyed him as they looked up to him. It was a joy to see and hear their fun throughout that morning.

Although this was in town, it was an old neighborhood and the backyard connected to a big park.  Soon enough all the boys were bustling around the house eating snacks before they headed out to the wide open spaces of the park.  This filled the morning and soon enough it was time to go home.  As the boys straggled in we smiled at their sweaty, dirty bodies and were thankful for their fellowship time.

After all the "good-byes" my son came over to me before we got into the car.  He showed me the treasures he had found in the stream where the boys played.  An old Coke bottle and a very small bottle with a tiny, stream pebble caught in it for all time.  I congratulated him for his find.  He told me that they were both for me and then with his big, beautiful smile he said he had saved the best for last.

He then opened his hand and passed me his best treasure.  It was a little emerald-green bottle.  This almost-grown child knew the simple joys of his mother, and he had blessed me with a priceless gift. It was not only the gift itself, but the thought of how he found it, washed it, and planned to present it to me as his greatest treasure. 

I'll never forget that day as it is precious in my memory as I handle this little green bottle this morning.  It was only a small, glass Excedrin bottle, but worth more than gold to me.  I keep it by my window sill and see it every day.  It holds air mostly as the light shines through, but has its moments with tiny forget-me-nots, wood violets, and just yesterday the very last miniature rose bud before our first snow today.

Thank you , LORD, for simple gifts.

Psalm 16:5-8
"The LORD is the portion of my inheritance and my cup;  You support my lot.  The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places;  Indeed, my heritage is beautiful to me.  I will bless the LORD who has counseled me;  Indeed, my mind instructs me in the night.  I have set the LORD continually before me;  Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken."