Laura had saved a very special present to open last. It was a birthday present from Grandma and Grandpa. They almost always got her a doll, but she had no idea what was in this tiny box. She sat down with her two favorite dolls and opened her last present.
It was a beautiful music box! Laura lifted the top and giggled when she heard the little song.
“What is this?” she asked, as she took a little card out of the box. Two ten-dollar bills fell out! There was also a little note that said:
Dear Laura,
We wanted to buy you a doll, but we didn’t know which one you would like. So this birthday we want you to get a very special doll, one that you can keep for your own little girl.
Love, Grandma and Grandpa
Laura was excited. She knew just which doll she wanted. There was one little girl doll at the toy store that she liked so very much. She looked at the money again and said, “Mom, with this money I can buy two dolls—one for me and one for my best friend Becky.”
“Maybe you should think about that a little more, Laura. Grandma and Grandpa want you to have a very special doll. Maybe you’ll find one.”
“But Mom, if I buy two of them, both Becky and I will have a special doll. She would like to have a new doll, too. The only one she has is one her sister played with.”
“Hi Laura!” called Becky. “May I see your presents?”
Becky and Laura looked at the music box and the other nice gifts.
“Becky, I’m so excited! With my birthday money I can buy two dolls, one for you and one for me. Just think of how special that will be.”
“Well, Laura, I think you should get just one doll, the prettiest one you can find. That’s your birthday money and you should use it for yourself,” said Becky. “We can take turns playing with her. I know you have a favorite doll picked out at the toy store.”
“Come on!” said Laura. “Let’s ask my mom if we can go to the store now.”
Mother agreed.
The best friends skipped along, happy to be together. They looked in the window of the toy store and saw so many wonderful toys—stuffed animals, blocks, puzzles. In one corner of the window was a beautiful baby doll just waiting for a new mother.
“Isn’t she pretty?” gasped Laura. “She must have just come in.”
“She’s adorable!” agreed Becky. “Let’s go in and see if we can hold her.”
Laura picked up the doll and cuddled her. “I’d like to take you home. I’ll call you Baby Sue.”
Laura and Becky took turns carrying Baby Sue around as the two friends looked at all the other dolls in the store. Both agreed that Baby Sue was the most special of all.
“It looks like Baby Sue is the one for you,” said Becky.
Laura smiled at the doll. “I’m going to put you back in your corner, Baby Sue. But maybe I’ll come back for you.”
“Why didn’t you buy Baby Sue, Laura?” asked Becky.
“I want to talk to my mom first,” said Laura, with a twinkle in her eye. “Come on, let’s run home.”
That night Laura and her mother talked a long time about Baby Sue and Becky.
“Mom, Becky is too kind to say she’d like a Baby Sue of her own. But I saw the look in her eye as she held her. Becky has only one worn-out doll. I just wouldn’t be happy playing with Baby Sue, even if I shared her with Becky, because I know Becky would love to have a doll of her own. I wish I could give Becky a Baby Sue … but I would like a Baby Sue, too.”
“Maybe there is a way to solve the problem,” said Mother. “I want to think about it tonight. Let’s pray about it. Now it’s time for sleep. Sweet dreams.”
Laura could see that Mother had a special surprise sparkle in her eyes the next morning but Mother wouldn’t tell her the happy secret.
“Let’s check the toy store today,” said Laura when Becky came over to play that afternoon.
Together the friends skipped to the store. They looked for Baby Sue’s corner in the window and … she wasn’t there!
“Maybe they moved her,” said Becky. “We could look inside.”
Whoosh. They opened the door and ran to the doll section. No Baby Sue!
“She’s gone! I wonder if someone bought her! What will we do now?”
Slowly the two friends walked back to Laura’s house, trying to hold back the tears.
Mother was waiting for the two friends, her eyes sparkling.
“Come in, girls. There’s a surprise in the den,” she said smiling.
“Mother, Baby Sue is gone! She’s not at the toy store!” cried Laura.
“Hmmm,” said Mother, who didn’t sound at all surprised to hear that news.
There were two packages in the corner of the den. They were exactly alike, except one said, “To Becky.” The other one said, “To Laura.”
“Unwrap them together,” Mother said.
Rustle, rustle, rustle. Then no sound at all, not even a breathing sound. Laura lifted a baby doll out of her box. Becky lifted a baby doll out of her box.
“Baby Sue!” said Laura.
“I have a Baby Sue, too!” cried Becky.
Both of the girls giggled with delight.
Now it was Mother’s turn to wipe a tear off her cheek. But it was a happy tear.
Precious Moments Bedtime Stories, Samuel J. and Jon David Butcher, Debbie Ann and Steven Craig Wiersma, ©1979, 15–25
“Remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ” Acts 20:35
“Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap.” Luke 6:38