It was late Spring and a beautiful sunny Sunday afternoon. Emma, 8, and her little brother, Noah, 7, were buzzing with excitement. After church, their family gathered to celebrate Noah’s birthday. The house was filled with laughter, balloons, and the sweet aroma of chocolate cake. As the party wound down, their dad suggested, “Hey kids, how about a walk over to Webster Park by the school? It would be a perfect place to fly your new kite, Noah.” “Yes!” Noah exclaimed, hugging the bright multi-colored kite he had unwrapped just an hour ago. Emma eagerly wanted to join in. She was excited to bring her new notebook and colored pencils—a gift from the party. Webster Park wasn’t far from their house and one of their favorite spots. It had playground equipment and a large field big enough for three soccer games to be played simultaneously. And there were very few trees on the property. There was a soft breeze that would help lift the kite into the wide-open skies which made it a perfect for kite flying.
As they reached the Park, Noah wasted no time. “Dad, help me get it up!” he said, holding the kite against the breeze. Emma, meanwhile, settled under one of the few trees in the area, sketching the kite’s soaring flight with her colored pencils. Noah squealed with excitement as the kite danced higher and higher into the sky. “Look at it, Emma! It’s almost touching the clouds!” he shouted. Emma waved back, happy for her brother but more focused on drawing the scene in her new notebook.
He had it up almost to the end of his kite string when suddenly, the wind shifted. The kite dipped and swerved, and before anyone could react, the string snapped, and the kite flew off, landing high on the top of the very tree Emma was sitting under. Noah’s face fell. “My kite!” he cried, running after it. Emma set down her notebook and looked up, trying to see where it was.
When they spotted it at the very top of the tree, torn and ripping more as the wind beat against it, Noah's eyes began to pool with tears. “This was my best present, and now it’s wrecked and gone forever!”
Emma knelt beside her brother, trying to console him. "I'm sorry, Noah." "I'll ask for a kite for my birthday and give it to you." “Let's get out of here!" Noah said, walking off. The shrug of his shoulders matched the disappointment of his heart.
When he got home, Dad knelt beside him, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. “Noah, losing the kite is disappointing, but don’t let it ruin your day. Think about everything we’ve done so far. Did you have fun at your party? ”Noah shrugged. “Did you love the cake? And all those games we played?”
A small smile tugged at the corner of Noah’s mouth. “Yeah, the cake was awesome. “And how about the kite? It was amazing how high you had it flying! You did a great job before the wind sent it into the tree. Didn’t you have fun flying it so high?”
Noah looked up. “It did go super high, didn’t it Dad? I didn't have any string left!”Emma chimed in, holding up her notebook. “I drew it! Look!” She showed him her sketch of the kite soaring against the clouds, with him holding the string. At least we got to see that, and I had a chance to draw it! We’ll always remember it.
”Noah’s smile grew wider. “Thanks, Emma. That’s cool. ”As they started back home, the mood had shifted. Emma skipped ahead, her notebook under her arm, while Noah picked up a stick, pretending it was a sword. “Dad,” he asked, “was that kite touching the clouds?” “Maybe not quite,” Dad chuckled, “but it was close.”
Later that night, as Dad tucked them in, Noah whispered, “I’m glad we went to the Park, even if the tree did eat my kite. It was still the best birthday ever. ”Dad smiled and sat on the edge of the bed. “Noah, if you have faith, God always brings good from hard times. It’s why He tells us in the Bible to do what Philippians 4:8 teaches us: "‘...whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." God teaches us to focus on the good and keep the faith! He loves us and helps us through everything. I want you to learn that lesson! “Usually, you have to be patient to see that happen," his dad continued. "But tonight, not so much. ”Noah’s eyes lit up with curiosity. “What do you mean, Dad?”
“Well,” Dad said with a smile, “when I bought your kite, there was a sale. Two for the price of one. They actually gave me two kites. I stuck one up in the closet for another time. But your attitude was so good about what happened, I’m going to get it down right now and give it to you! ”Noah shot upright in bed, his mouth dropping open. “Really? You mean I get another kite?”
“Yep,” Dad said, ruffling his hair .“Wow, Dad, this really is the best birthday ever!” Noah beamed. “And, just like you always say, God can turn lemons into lemonade—and He just did! ”Dad laughed and hugged him tight. “He sure did, buddy. He sure did."
And for Noah, it really was the best birthday ever!
In His love,
Pastor Tim Burt
