About three years ago I met a sweet elderly woman at a funeral for her sister that she took care of. We have kind of adopted her as a grandma as she has never been married and does not have any children. Over the past few years I have gone over there to help her lift heavy items and do different projects since she is no longer able to lift things. One of the things that we do is shovel her snow each time it snows. I usually try to get over there really early in the morning so that I can get it done before she can come out and insist on paying me. I also do it early so that her dogs can get out and go pee. I have never succeeded in sneaking in and shoveling her walks with out her noticing and she always insists on paying me for my efforts. Each time I decline the money and say that I want to do it as a service and that it makes me feel good to help her, she said it makes her feel good to know that she is helping my family buy groceries and gas in these tough times. She is offended if I don't take it. She has even slipped it in my coat pocket before.
This brings me to today.
It snowed very heavily last night as much as 10 inches. It was the first snow fall of the season. At 7:30 this morning I went into Brady's room and asked him if he would like to go to her house and help me shovel her snow. Brady loves to go to her house and help me with things and to play with her dogs. Normally it is next to impossible to get him out of bed but hearing that we were going to go help her he jumped right out of bed and got dressed. I explained that it will be very cold out there and that there is a lot of snow. With out hesitation he put his warm clothes on and said I will put two pairs of socks on then. Off we went (she lives 3-4 miles away). The roads were really bad and the sun was not over the mountains yet. Brady was watching the temperature on the mirror of the truck. It started out at 3 degrees and as we were pulling up to her house it registered at -6 degrees below zero.
I was a little worried thinking that he was going to freeze and want to get back in the truck. I asked him if he would like to and he said no lets keep going. we shoveled and shoveled and luckily the sun crested the mountains and brought a little warmth ( I think the truck said -1). I asked him if he was ok and he said ya my finger aren't tingling anymore. He was excited and happy to help. Our friend came to the door before we were done and said let me go get you some money. I told her we can worry about that later. we shoveled for a while longer and when we finished I told Brady lets go put the shovels in the truck and then go say goodbye to her. He then said to me "but if we go in there she will want to give us money." I told him I know I will tell her not to pay us but we have to say goodbye.
We went in and she insisted on not only paying me but Brady as well. I told her no but she wouldn't have it she wanted to make sure we were taken care of (funny, we were there to take care of her). As we were walking down the long drive way Brady stops and said "wait dad I have an idea" "what is your idea?" "we can open her car door and leave the money on her seat!!" I said that is a great idea but as we approached the car I thought how upset she would be at me if she found that money in there. I explained this to Brady and explained that she feels like she is helping us when we help her. I could tell he was a little deflated but understood.
I am so proud of him. It was so cold and so deep yet he wanted to go and help anyways and the thought of getting paid never entered his mind and when he got paid he instantly wanted to give it back. I was overcome with JOY as I witnessed this. He didn't have to be there but he wanted to. The scriptures state that we should become as children what a great example of what the Lord means.
I love you Brady
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