Extra Gravy

"Dad, can you pass the gravy, please?" said Noelle as she plopped a heaping serving of mashed potatoes on her plate. Mashed potatoes and gravy were one of her favorite side dishes, along with pumpkin pie, which was also on the table.Dad handed her the white pitcher. "You sure do like mashed potatoes.""Yeah, I guess I do," Noelle said as she poured the creamy gravy on her potatoes."Save some for me," Dad said with a laugh.Noelle set the pitcher of gravy back on the table. "I miss Mom.""I do too," Dad said. "But we should be thankful she was able to go and help Aunt Dawn for a while after her surgery. It'd be hard for Uncle Tim to do it all by himself.""I'm glad the operation went well," said Noelle. "I love Aunt Dawn.""And you've really helped get things done while Mom is away," said Dad. "It sure is nice to have the extra help around here, just like it is for Aunt Dawn to have Mom's extra help." "It's kind of like having extra gravy for mashed potatoes," said Noelle."What do you mean?" asked Dad."Well, it's not like you have to have it--mashed potatoes would be okay if you didn't. But it makes them taste so much better. Just like Mom helping Aunt Dawn--it makes things easier even though Aunt Dawn could have managed with just Uncle Tim's help.""And you have made things better for us around here," said Dad. "We would have managed even if you hadn't worked harder, but I'm so pleased that you did." Dad smiled at Noelle. "You know, the Bible says that a willingness and desire to help others points to the fact that we belong to Jesus. Because we know Him as our Savior, we have the Holy Spirit, who fills our hearts with His love. And both you and Mom have shown that love through your actions this week."Dad got up and went into the kitchen to do the dishes, and Noelle followed."I'll help," Noelle said as she began clearing the table."Well, I'd sure like the extra help," said Dad. "And it means much more to me than a little extra gravy on mashed potatoes!"-Sharon Lee Roberts