Day 12 - My Bonnie (Give)



My Bonnie

Melissa just called me a pack rat.  Me!  A pack rat! ... just because she asked me what I had given away today and I showed her the little bow-tie wearing penguin in the picture to the left.  She asked, "Where did THAT come from?" And my reply is what elicited the "pack rat" dig:  "I've had it since college."

She doesn't realize that this little stuffed animal has significance.  It must have been my sophomore year in college.  On weekends when I stayed on campus, I would attend the local United Methodist Church, and that year I was just starting to help out with the youth group there a bit.  So when the church sent out pre-final-exam care packages to its home-grown college students in far off places, the youth pastor was thoughtful enough to include some of us local college students in the give away as well.  It meant a lot to me.  I don't remember what else was in that little cardboard box - probably some candy, a few ink pens, maybe some homemade cookies - but the one thing that stuck with me was this little stuffed animal.  Who would have thought to put a stuffed animal in a care package for college students?  But there he was - sticking around long after the candy was eaten and the pens ran out of ink.

And who would have thought at least one of those college students (perhaps there are many more, we can't be sure...) would still have that little stuffed animal 22 years later?

I also remember that Masato, the Japanese exchange student who shared the second floor of Morris Hall with us for the year, took an instant shine to the little penguin and referred to it as his "bonnie".  The only thing I could figure was that Masato had gotten his English words mixed up and was calling it a "bunny".  In the end it didn't matter why he did it, we made fun of him all the same.  ...and often threw it at him.  Such fond memories!

Tomorrow our small group is putting together some care packages for disadvantaged kids around the world through Operation Christmas Child.  Today I say goodbye to my Bonnie - he has remained with me long enough.  He will go into one of those boxes and be shipped overseas to a child who will excitedly unwrap the package, eat the candy, and cradle my Bonnie in his arms. Perhaps, in some small, tangible way, Bonnie will demonstrate God's deep love for that small child.  And, for all I know, that kid will treasure Bonnie for the next 22 years ... or lose him later that day.