Quote of the Day

A gift in season is a double favor to the needy.
—Publilius Syrus, Moral Sayings, 100 B.C.

Verse of the Day

Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!
—2 Corinthians 9:15

And then. . . 

I'll work to pay my half," my daughter Anne pleaded. "And the other half can be my Christmas and birthday gifts for the next ten years!"

Anne was a high-school senior and desperately wanted to go on a 10-day tour of England and France her English teacher was leading over the summer. But with college expenses looming, we just couldn't swing it. "I'm sorry honey," I told her.

Then we got an unexpected call from Anne's teacher. "Someone who knows of Anne's situation has offered to fund her trip," he said. There was one catch.

"Many years ago," her anonymous benefactor wrote in a letter that accompanied a cashier's check a few days later, "a friend gave me a generous gift that made it possible for me to do something I could not afford to do on my own. She refused to let me pay her back, but challenged me to help someone in the future when I was in the position to do so. I now pass that challenge on to you. I promise the experience will bless you as much if not more, than the person you help. Enjoy Europe."

Anne's trip abroad was no small thing, but her invitation into the legacy of giving is the greater gift.
—Sue Diaz as told in the October 2000 Guideposts

Last update: 10/02/00