One afternoon I
took my 4 young children to a free carnival activity sponsored by the local
hospital as a thank you to the community for their support. My husband was busy working, so I was a
little nervous as to how it would go. We
enjoyed good food, fun entertainment and rides, and lots of fun games with
simple prizes. Everyone had a great time
and our tiny baby slept great to add to the enjoyment.
After a few hours
it was time to head out, as the event was over and we had stayed much longer
than I had planned. I loaded the kids
into the car and buckled everyone up. As
I was pulling out of our parking spot I could hear my children talking about
their prizes. As they showed their
prizes to each other, I started to hear my children talk about what prize they
would like to get next time that another sibling had and they did not. I called back to my kids and reminded them
to be grateful for the toys that they did get!
And then in my mind I thought, “Why do they really care? These are such cheap prizes that will
probably end up in the trash before a week is over!”
As soon as I said
and thought these words, another thought came to my mind reminding me that I
too needed to remember these words in my own life. I too needed to remember to be grateful for
what I had and not just look around hoping for a different “prize” next
time. Then as I continue to ponder this thought,
that I was sure the Spirit was teaching me, another thought came, “Just like
these cheap carnival toys will be broken and thrown out by the end of a week,
all the material things we have here will be thrown out when we leave this
life!” Wow, that really hit me! The value my children were placing on their
toys was great, but when I looked at them I knew they really had no worth in
the long run. Similarly, I tend to place
great value on so many material things in this life, but my Heavenly Father has
taught me, and continues to teach me, that they are of no worth in the long
run.
Only a few days
later I caught myself thinking about something I wish I had that someone else
had. I was able to remind myself that
all these things are just “carnival prizes” and hold no value in the long
run! My heart was softened and my
disappointment at not having the missing item was gone! Now when I see someone with something I wish
I had I just think, “carnival prizes, it’s all just a bunch of carnival
prizes.”
Those little
carnival toys my children received actually did not all make it to the trash by a
week’s end. They are broken and not fit
for playing with any more, but I held onto a few of them, to help me remember
this wonderful learning experience I had with them. Although my kids keep finding them and walking off with them again. :) I know we need to take care of the things we
do have, but I have learned that I need to make sure I am spending my time,
talents, and resources on those things that matter most in this life and the
eternities.
