The "Tooth Fairy," "Santa Claus" & the "Easter Bunny"

Not too long ago Ellen, my youngest — who refuses to stop growing up — left another self-extracted child's tooth on my computer desk. This is the place the kids know to put things that need Dad's attention or for general "safe keeping." As I have in the past, I "stored" this new source of monetary compensation for Ellen in a plastic zip bag for safe-keeping until she decided to repeat that traditional child's ritual of leaving it under her pillow for the "Tooth Fairy." (Somebody please remind me sometime to look up on the internet the name and address [email or otherwise] of the person who conceived and brought this "guardian of souls" into existence.)

Annnywayyyy . . . I think at least maybe two weeks passed and the tooth had not yet been reassigned by Ellen (to its new function) as a potential "bank deposit" under Ellen's pillow. One day, though, she did notice it lying (not "laying," fellow mid-Westerners) right where she had left it on my desk, and promptly made the deposit under her pillow (which needed to be picked up off her bedroom floor and made up with her bed before lunchtime anyway). The next morning: no $$$$ under her pillow, which, of course, she mentions to me personally. (If they believe in the "Tooth Fairy," you'd think they'd take it up with her!) Annnywayyyy . . . I think I told her that maybe the "Tooth Fairy" had a "statute of limitations" on leaving $$$$ under pillows, or that maybe the tooth was "no good" anymore (haaaaa! That would be true to some extent, of course). I'm sure I had some good excuse (er . . . uh . . . reason) why Ellen's investments had not increased overnight (something we'd all like to regularly experience, huh?).

Nevertheless, Ellen decided to put the "Tooth Fairy" to the test by leaving the little plastic zip bag with tooth under her pillow for a second night in a row. This time, the "Tooth Fairy" (ahem) did not forget to show up. In the midst of what was supposedly Ellen's "deeeeep sleep," he . . . er . . . rather she not so carefully placed $$$$ under her pillow, simultaneously removing the little plastic bag with its contents. Ellen stirred; but . . . no big deal, right?

Well, the next morning the whole story came out: "I know it was you, Dad. I heard you in my room," Ellen calmly and grinningly proclaims. "I don't believe in the 'Tooth Fairy' anymore, anyway; or in Santa Claus. It's just you, Dad! You're giving us the money!" It turns out that there's no "Easter Bunny" either!! (No kidding!)

To make a long(er) story short(er), all of this gave me another opportunity to query all three children on their "world view" regarding such things. When I asked them where any of these good things come from, they said "They come from you, Dad!" (I silently attempted to humbly accept the compliment here, but my "world view" held me in check).

"Okay," I said. "But where do they come from before that?"
A. "From the store."
"Where did the store get the stuff?"
A. "From other people."
"And where'd they get that stuff?"
A. "Somebody made it."
"And where'd they get the stuff they used to make the stuff?"
A. " . . . "

Okay, I think you get the point so we can cut to the chase. All three of the kids ultimately (and nearly simultaneously) stuck index fingers into the air pointed toward God. It was a great opportunity for me to remind them again that the Scriptures speak to these things. You all know this, and now they do too, since:

"Every good thing bestowed and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights . . ." JAMES 1:17a