Will Shovel for Brownies

Skye scooped the last bit of heavy, wet snow from his driveway and heaved it to the side. As he leaned on the shovel to catch his breath, his gaze fell on Mrs. Barans' driveway next door. The snow lay in deep drifts, and her windows still had the curtains drawn. Mrs. Barans must still be asleep, he thought. She can barely get around anymore. How's she going to clear her driveway? With renewed energy, Skye walked over and shoveled Mrs. Barans' driveway too. She's going to be so happy when she sees that I shoveled her driveway! he thought as he put the shovel away in the garage. Maybe she'll bake me a batch of her famous double chocolate brownies as a thank-you!As Skye headed out with his sled later that day, he saw Mrs. Barans at her mailbox. She was moving very slowly, and he was glad he had helped her. "Hi, Mrs. Barans!" he called out. She smiled and waved back. "Hi, Skye. Can you believe this weather? Thankfully my nephew comes and clears my driveway when we get a heavy snow. I don't know what I'd do without him!""But it wasn't--" Skye began, but Mrs. Barans had already headed back in and didn't hear him. "Great," Skye mumbled to himself. "I do the work, and someone else gets the credit for it!"Skye was still stewing that evening. "Mom, next time you see Mrs. Barans, could you mention that I was the one who shoveled her driveway this morning? She thinks her nephew did it!""Did you shovel her driveway just so she would thank you?" asked Mom."No--I could see she needed help. But it's not fair! She'll probably bake her nephew a batch of her double chocolate brownies to thank him, and he didn't even do anything!""People don't always get credit for the good things they do," said Mom. "But God knows what you did, and He's very glad you were so thoughtful and kind. He knows all the good deeds His children do out of love and gratitude for the gift of eternal life He's given us, and someday He'll reward them." She smiled. "And rewards from Him are far better than anything Mrs. Barans could give you--even double chocolate brownies!" –Deborah S. Marett