And next year we'll donate to their college funds

I get lots of good ideas...sadly about 75% of them turn out bad.

To prove my bad idea hall of fame I thought I would share the latest event.

I've mentioned before that boy and I teach Sunday school each week to 2nd graders. We taught them last year when they were in 1st grade and because they melt our hearts so much we took the opportunity to continue our journey with them. It could also be that they finally learned how to read and if you've ever tried to get a 1st graders to read from Genesis...well nuff said. Well stick with the "melt our hearts" reason...it sounds better.

Truly we love them to pieces and are so blessed to get to encourage them spiritually that I wanted to do something special to reward them. Each week if they bring their Bible they get a sticker, if they bring their devotional completed they get a sticker and good behavior also earns them a sticker. These stickers go into a book and each child has their own page. After 20 stickers they get a prize. We thought a big goal would be more motivating.

Well before ever researching prize options, I blurted out back in August that if they get 20 stickers they get a coupon for an ice cream cone from Chick-fil-a. Eyes lit up and the Heavens opened for these little ones with the mention of the chicken palace. They were thrilled.

I thought surely Chick-fil-a would allow me to purchase such a gift card. Ha that would be too easy.

On Sunday our 1st child will receive his prize this Sunday. Yes, I know the whole idea is awfully motivational seeing as how it has taken almost 4 months to get are 1st prize winner. I callled up Fil-a and asked about purchasing these tickets because they are for the church and the children. They tell me they can ring up $1.07 on each gift card...the full amount of an ice cream cone. So I head that way today and low and behold I get to the counter and apparently they were mistaken they have a minimum of $5 for gift cards. I beg and I plead because it's for the children and the church. No such luck. I cannot back out of this now and break their sweet little Jesus loving hearts so I break out my debit and purchase $5 gift cards. I did a dreadful looking calendar with coupons to remind me each month in 2008 of what I sucker I am.

Looking back it might have been cheaper to sign over some stock bonds to them.