Dubious Prize

Yesterday we went to the reception for an art contest Asherel had entered and won third place in. She hates going to art receptions, hates being in the spotlight,hates getting her picture taken, hates getting dressed up.... but she likes cookies and prizes, both of which were to be available to the winners.

So we made a day of it- took the train to uptown and planned a late lunch somewhere outside on that gorgeous day. She was cheery enough about the train ride, which we all love- watching the small businesses of Charlotte slide by the window, businesses slowly crumbling in this wonderful era of hope and change.

But then, we had to enter the reception. First we were greeted by tempting cookies, but under saran wrap. They were not to be available til after the awards ceremony. We could not just grab a handful and run. Then we went to the display of winners. It was beautifully done, with the pieces mounted tastefully on the museum wall where they will remain for a couple of months. If it were me, I would be bursting with pride.... and was. Not Asherel. As we reached her work, a pencil drawing of a blue parakeet, she rolled her eyes when I asked her to stand beside it for a photo and hissed, "No Mom!" Fortunately, Arvo hung with me on this one, and told her to do it for me with a shrug of his shoulders like mothers will be mothers..... It almost killed her to pose again with me beside her in the picture.

Then we went to our seats for the awards ceremony itself. I pulled out my camera again, and she tried to grab it from me.
"You are not going to take more pictures!" she exclaimed, horrified.
"I understand your despair," I answered, "I am sure not a single parent anywhere else on earth would ever even think to take a picture of their child winning an award. They are probably all watching me this second with disgust."
We glanced around. They were too busy setting up tripods and 4 different cameras per parent, with 12 foot long lenses to notice me though.
Asherel sighed, "Well ok, but don't jump up and wave or anything."
"I would not even think of doing such a thing," I said, at least not since the last time I did it when Anders won a big award and later told me that I had humiliated him beyond repair. That was only to be topped by me hugging him in front of his friends, which he reported was the "Most awful thing I had ever done to him."

So she suffered through the awards, and I only took 3 pictures, and didn't hoot or wave at all, and she was handed her huge bag of prizes. We were a little concerned as one of the sponsors was an orthodontist. What kind of prizes does an orthodontist provide to an art contest?

We grabbed cookies on the way out and dashed to lunch to check out her loot.
"Oh goodie," she said reaching into the bag, "A toothbrush."
I kid you not.
She peered in the bag and pulled out the next prize, "Whew, at least they gave me toothpaste too."
Next, a "kid's meal" coupon. This for the teenager who abhors being treated like a child with almost the same level of distaste for the color pink.
"And how nice, a little pink plastic hourglass..." ( I imagine that is used to time the minute flouride treatments in the dentist office.)

"Oh thank goodness," she exclaimed, reaching in for one last prize, "They didn't forget the floss!"

Now I know the real prize is just the honor of being chosen as a worthy artist, and Asherel enters these things because she loves to draw. But still.... who honestly thinks any kid is going to jump with joy over a toothbrush and toothpaste? Still, in the eyes of an orthodontist, there is no greater gift he could have given. It may not be what the kids want, but it is surely what they need.

And of course, I thought of God, who so often hands me "gifts" that I sneer at, troubles and struggles that may help my soul, but they sure aren't what I am necessarily seeking from an all powerful being that could hand me a Ferrari were He so inclined. Yet I know that in His eyes, which really are the only ones that matter, He is handing me the only prize worth receiving.

Matthew 7:9-11 (New International Version)

⁹"Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? ¹⁰Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? ¹¹If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!