Prayer for All Situations

O, my God, I will put myself without reserve into Thy hands. Wealth or woe, joy or sorrow, friends or bereavement, honour or humiliation, good report or ill report, comfort or discomfort, Thy presence or the hiding of Thy countenance, all is good if it comes from Thee. Thou art wisdom and Thou art love — what can I desire more?

- John Henry Cardinal Newman

Down Payment

William, a couple springs ago, walking in on a chat I'm having with one of the girls about the cost of raising a family (don't know how we got onto that!):

"Yeah, it's cost over $10, 000 just to raise me so far," he says.

To which I respond: " Interesting figure. Where'd you read that?"

"Calvin and Hobbes."

"Well, ok, must be about right then." (I'm rolling my eyes; the girls are giggling.)

Then, under his breath as he walks out, William adds: "Just gotta figure out now if it's a gift or a loan..."

We're laughing, but wait a minute...

There is an answer (though he walked away before I figured it out):

It's a loan you pay back, kiddo, through your own children someday. Or, if you're Religious, it goes straight back to the Original Gifter.

But, in the meantime, you can clean your room and pick up after the dog. Down payment.