Turning on his side in bed, facing the orange dial on the clock that seemed to mock him, Kevin knew that this—all of this—was a gigantic answer to prayer. There had been the time when he had complained about being a corporate slave when he really wanted to run his own firm. There was also the time he was angry and resentful that they weren’t having luck trying to start a family.

These were blessings in his life: the fact that he was running his own business and the wonderful fact that their family was about to grow.

I just want a little breathing room.

But that had never been part of the deal, part of the plan, part of the prayer. Kevin knew this too. Kevin knew that life wasn’t easy. Even for those who might appear to have it easy, he knew that nobody had a perfect life. Money or fame or security didn’t assure anyone of anything.

His mind drifted and he realized just how little he’d changed over the years. He should be able to stand firmly alongside Jenny and tell her not to worry. He should be able to stand firmly alongside God and know he didn’t need to worry. Both of their parents had that steadfast faith that people talked about and that he always assumed he’d have one day when he grew up.

But he was still a kid, whose biggest decision was what ice cream flavor to pick at the end of another endless day.

Maybe it was finally time for Kevin to grow up.

Generosity

“Mom?”

For a second Lynn thought she was dreaming. She thought she was in the same bed with Daryl, and four-year-old Thomas was whispering to her and the promise of a better tomorrow woke up beside her.

“Mom, wake up.”

When she opened her eyes, that four-year-old boy was nearly a man. He stood at the side of her bed, the light from the cracks in the old blinds streaming into the small room. She sat up, instantly worried.

“There’s something wrong with the toilet.”

“What?”

Okay, it’s not Sara.

“It’s like—I don’t know. You just gotta take a look at it.”

She rubbed her forehead and yawned. She felt like she could sleep until noon on this rare Sunday morning she had off. Work had been particularly busy last night, but it had also been particularly rewarding with a couple of really nice tips. She’d gone to bed in a hopeful mood and she hadn’t wanted it to end.

She followed Thomas out the room and a few steps to the open doorway. Sara stood in there looking like she was gagging on something. The floor around the toilet was wet. She heard strange clanging noises.

“What happened?” Lynn asked.

“Nothing,” Sara said. “I heard some weird noises and came in and it started overflowing.”

Lynn watched the toilet for a few seconds. Nothing.

“Are you sure?”