Tooth Tale

O LORD, there is no one like you. We have never even heard of another God like you!

1 Chronicles 17:20

When our daughter, Kali, started kindergarten, it was such a fun time around our house. She was so excited about starting school and getting a new backpack. And after the first day, she couldn’t stop talking about the tooth chart in her classroom. Whenever anyone lost a tooth, his or her name was added to the chart and everyone celebrated!

One morning when Mark was getting ready for work, Kali said to me, “Mommy, will you please pull my tooth? I’m afraid it’s going to come out at school and I’ll lose it. I want to be on the tooth chart.” Inside I’m thinking, I don’t like blood. I wish Mark could pull it. There’s no time. Out loud I said, “Okay, sweet one,” and wrapped one end of a piece of string around the loose tooth and tied the other end to the doorknob, my daddy’s tried-and-true method.

Just then Mark appeared and said, “What are you doing? You may do that in South Carolina, but we don’t do that in Virginia!” Needless to say, we had run out of time, and Kali went to school with her tooth still hanging on.

When she got home that day, our plumber, Mr. Trexler strolled to the kitchen after fixing a leak under Kali’s bathroom sink. He and his wife had a lot of children, so when he saw her wiggling her tooth, he said, “Do you want me to pull it for you?”

“Yes,” she replied cheerfully, while I’m thinking, Maybe you should wash your hands first!

Mr. Trexler quickly grabbed a paper towel and yanked gently. Suddenly, Kali was grinning with a noticeable gap where the tooth had been. She drew a picture of herself smiling—without a tooth—to thank him. Later she asked, “Could Mr. Trexler come back and pull all my teeth? Nobody can do it just like him!” Tears of joy welled up in my eyes.

Doesn’t that describe God, too? After all, nobody can do it just like God!

What small thing do you need to place in God’s hands right now? Take a moment and prayerfully give it to Him too.