A few years ago while preaching in Tulia, I was also serving as a volunteer paramedic for the Tulia ambulance services. One Saturday, my buddy Scotty and I, volunteered to go to a little town called Kress about 10 miles away, to drive the ambulance through their parade and throw out candy to the kids. Since we actually provided ambulance service to this little community, the hospital thought it’d be a good idea if we showed up for their big annual parade.
After picking up our 3 very large bags of candy that the hospital provided us, we were off. Neither of us had ever been to the parade in this little west Texas town, but when we got there neither Scotty or myself were very impressed. When we lined up for the parade we noticed that there were lots of vehicles like fire trucks and police cars, but there was hardly any people there for the parade. Actually, only a handful of people had shown up. I remember thinking, “You’ve got to be kidding me. I gave up my Saturday for this sorry parade?” When the parade finally started, we turned on our sirens and lights and waved to the people who’d actually shown up. We threw out a few pieces of candy, but soon realized we had tons of candy and no one to throw it to. We finally noticed one little boy at the very end of the street. He was actually the only kid we’d seen. So Scotty and I decided, “Let’s don’t take any of the candy home. If the kid has showed up for the parade, let’s reward him.” So when we came to the end of the street where the one lone boy stood, we waved him over and started dumping huge handfuls of candy right in front of him. When we finished dumping all the candy out the window, we left one of the largest piles of candy any one kid has ever had. That kid was blessed with more than he’d ever be able to eat. And by the look on his face when we started throwing candy at him, I know he must have thought we were the greatest guys in the world. We left that little boy everything we had, three very large bags of candy. We knew he was going to need a much bigger sack than the one he had.
What we didn’t know until about two minutes later was that where we were was not where the people actually gathered to watch the parade. The street we’d been on was just the starting street. When we turned the corner, there were all the people. Hundreds of people had actually shown up. Kids were everywhere screaming for candy, and we had none. We had nothing left to give. We had thrown everything to the one lucky (and very surprised) first kid on the other street. The rest of the parade we just waved, laughed and threw out rubber gloves. 
I later got to thinking how God blesses us with so much more than we’ll ever need. As His children, He makes sure we have the spiritual necessities that we need like forgiveness, grace, mercy, love, peace and other things as well. But He doesn’t stop there; he also pours out physical blessings in our lives and gives us more than we ever deserve. He simply blesses us like we’re the first kid at the parade. He shovels more into our lives than our little bags will ever be able to carry. The difference between God and our three bags of candy we gave out at the parade is that God never runs out. Ever. God is good.
I am a Christian husband and father, who moonlights as the minister for the church of Christ in Childress, Texas. My wife Lea and I have been married for 21 years. We are doing our best to raise our 4 boys, who are all growing up way too fast.
Great story. One camcorder and you’ve had made $10,000 on AFV.
I like the application.
Have a great weekend.
Grace and peace,
tim
I Love It! great great great! Thanks to God!
you are so right. looking back over the last year i am amazed at the way that God has blessed our family and me. there are some ways that he has blessed me over the course of my life that even though i know that they happened it is still hard to believe.
i was just looking at your christmas slide show and spied a wahoo game going on. andre and i just learned how to play with my mom, her husband, k’lee and her husband this christmas. we have been looking for a board ever since, know where we can get one? ps. i am shocked every time i see a picture of your family and you and leah look exactly the same and your boys are so big. it is a blessing to see how you guys have come along.
pps. unfortunately taylor will most likely not being going to portugal because it hasn’t been open for aimers for a couple of years now. wherever he goes he will be blessed as well as a blessing.
Sometimes we don’t recognize God’s wonderful grace and love. That kid may have a tummy ache or get a mouth full of cavities later. Even as adults when heart aches come along we think “why me?” we don’t
and can’t see what wonders God has planned for us. I know that because I’ve been there, done that.
If you allow God to lead you, you will grow spiritually and see great things.
another application is that nobody said life was fair…but that sounds rather jaded…so we will go with yours!
Good stuff, Trey. I like the new theme too.
Tim & John – I’ve always wondered what the little boy was thinking as we poured all that candy out on him.
Kim – You and Andre will have to stop by for a game of wahoo sometime.
I hate to hear that about the Portugal field. I’ve known so many ex-AIMers that have loved that field.
Annon – 100% right.
Donna – I like mine better too.
Alan – Thanks bro. Don’t over work this tax season.
i saw the video, too, Trey, and it looked to me like you and yours were gambling…come on, now…confess!!! (tee-hee..) krazy kara
okay, just for the fun of it i’m leaving another message so i can figure out the letters they ask me to repeat down below……why do they do that, anyway?
I live in a small town and we have parades where the parade participants throw candy. I burst out laughing when you said you through rubber gloves. I would have loved to be at that parade.
Monalea
That is a great story.
Gives a good illustration to “turn the corner.”
Kara – Hey girl. Thanks for stopping by. I’m a pretty good gambler
Monalea – I have an extra pair of gloves I’ll save for you.
Darin – Thank for stopping by.
Bob – If I’d only known there was another steet.
Trey,
Great post brother.
I am glad you are back posting.
Your blog is such an encouragement to me.
In Him,
Kinney Mabry
Great story, and great message. Thanks Trey.
Stacie
Update: Trey and Scotty get sued by kid who now has no teeth and a tremendous weight problem….
Trey, what’s a ‘steet’? I’m new to this blogging so i need to learn the lingo… ( you’re probably going to want to block me pretty quick, i’m afraid!! tee-hee…) i promise i do have a serious side to me!!! love ya, brother….
Great story!! Brought back memories of those parades when I was a police chaplain in Florida.