It was Mothers Day in Georgia in 1970. I had just retired from the Air Force and was in Milledgeville attending Georgia, College.

That Mothers Day Sunday, my family and I were at Molesville Baptist Church waiting for the Preacher to begin when I looked around noticing our 12-year-old son was absent.  My wife and I looked at each other with questioning eyes, thinking he was probably outside playing with his friends.

Ten or fifteen minutes later the choir was singing and still no son.  Thirty minutes later the preacher was well into his sermon and still no son.  I knew in my heart of hearts the only thing wrong was his priorities, which as soon as we came face-to-face again, I would direct him into knowing what was important and what was not important.

Since we only lived about a block from the church, all through the sermon I was thinking he had gone home to watch television.  I knew when I found him, he would not either be able to sit down for a week or be interested in watching television.

As soon as the preacher said the benediction and without staying to shake hands with fellow worshippers, my wife and I rushed for the door and on our way home.  With anger building with every step I took toward the house, I imagined what I would say and what I would do as soon as we found him.

With all that tension and anxiety building, can you imagine our surprise when we walked into the house and found him sitting on the sofa waiting for us with a smile.  I was just about to let it all out, when without saying a word he stood, took his mother by the hand, and led her into the kitchen.

There before us was a beautiful table of food that our twelve-year-old son had prepared for my wife as his Mothers Day gift for his mom with his smile as garnishing for the meal.

Later, we learned he left immediately after Sunday School to rush home to have it prepared for his Mom when she returned after the sermon.

Isn't this the way God is sometimes.  We look at our circumstances and stand wonder at how bad we think things are. Then, when we see God's outcome, we can only bow our humble heads in amazement at how things turned out for our good and His glory!

- Lawrence Brotherton