Being more thoughtful!

Last week was my birthday
The big 35!
My husband and I had some plans with friends and family but, FIRST we had my sons Derby car races.

All the way there the excitement was building. We could not WAIT to get there and do the races. The kids had worked hard on their cars.. my husband even took 5 stitches in the finger for the cars so.. needless to say, we could not wait to see how ours compared to all the rest!

The races started .... tigers first and then the Wolves.. Gabe is a wolf.
The first race Gabes car was in the lead and then, it suddenly jumped off the track. He was disappointed and confused and sort of looking around the room wide eyed like "what does this mean?" and, it was realized that the cords for the lights were on the track and, they re-did that race and, he won. He still had the wide eyed look and didn't seem to care too much.. after all , there were three more races he had to win (it is a point system)
Gabe's car swept the wolf races.. He at this point didn't seem to really "Care". Care is for the lack of a better word. But, he had a "oh that's cool" kinda attitude about the whole thing. I would love to think it is because we try and teach them not to gloat but, I can't ..I really do not know why he was so cool and collected.. I sure wasn't .. I was a proud momma and his biggest fan! * note: I did not gloat one bit but did cheer excitedly when he won.. what good mom wouldn't right?*
Anyway.. after all the dens went they had to do the winners of the dens.. Gabes car swept these races as well. He was still VERY cool about the entire thing and I even told him "you can get excited" at one point.
I do not doubt he was excited but, it did not shine through as you would have thought.
After that race was the FINAL race.. this is where the winners of the winners race raced and... he again, took every race! It was during these races that his excitement was growing. He was pacing and mumbling as the races went on and, at the final race.. he looked at me with eyes wide again and a huge grin and said " I JUST TOOK FIRST PLACE" Tears welled up in my eyes (they are now as I type this) I was so happy to see his excitement.. to see his hard work pay off. He was so excited and I was so happy for him.
Soon after the sibling races..It was time to give the awards for first, second and third place. They announced third place, then second and by the time they got to the first.. Gabe was having a hard time standing in his place. His grin was as big as it could be and he was clapping (for himself) and just over all excited.
The trophy for the derby races in our pack is bigger then some of the kids. In fact, it goes up to Gabes nose. He can not hold it, it is way to heavy and he wobbles to and fro when he tries to carry it.
They handed him this trophy, he walked up to me and said "Here mommy, I want you to have it, for your birthday"
*be still my heart*
He was so excited about this trophy, he worked hard and won EVERY race... yet, his first thought was to hand it to me for my birthday?
I would LOVE to say that I would be so selfless but, I just can't say that I would ( I am not saying that I wouldn't but, I defiantly can not say that I would)
I think it would take me a little while before I would say it if I did.. It would not have been the first thing I did or said.
How selfless children are. How amazing their little minds work before they are corrupted by selfishness and greed. I mean, I know it is our nature. I know that my two year old is FULL of selfishness (MINE, MINE, MINE) but, for the most part my children are SO thoughtful and sweet and think of others constantly.
"I want to buy this for Abby" "we should get Kaleb that" " Uncle would LOVE this, can we get it" ect ect ect.... when we go to the stores, it is not "mommy, I want this" it is "Can we buy this for Meme?" or the like.
are we as adults like this? usually not... oh we may think of "so and so" when when we see this or that but.. "I can't get that for her, I need to buy dishwasher detergent" ... now I am not advocating not meeting your families needs but, what could we do without to encourage someone?
what would we really have to sacrifice to be a blessing to someone we love? someone who needs encouraging. Someone who may be secretly hurting and, the little card that had their favorite flower on it just made their week.
It is hard to be thoughtful. It may not come as easily to us adults as it does to children especially with all of life's responsibilities.. But, I am going to take this lesson from my son and try and be more thoughtful... more caring and more selfless... After all, if Jesus could pay my debt of Sin... Can I not purpose in my heart to be more thoughtful?
I of coarse declined my sons trophy. I explained that I loved him for offering but, that it was his , he earned it and he has proudly displayed it in our living room since (except when he takes it to family members houses to show them :P)

HERE! is a short little video of him winning the whole thing (before the trophy) I love how excited he is and that before he walks away he shakes his hands in excitement.