The house was filled with balloons...

        ...and streamers...

            ...and friends...

                ...and presents...

                    ......lots and LOTS of presents!!!

Joey met his best friend Tyler at the door. "Did you get it?" he whispered excitedly.

"Not yet," Tyler responded, "but I WILL!" Joey quickly spied out the table where all of Tyler's birthday gifts were being placed until time to open them.

Joey spotted one particularly large box, sitting directly in the middle of the table, wrapped in shiny blue paper with a huge white ribbon taped to the top. Joey grew excited at the possibility. "Tyler," he said. "Do you think it could be in THAT one?"

Tyler, who was also eyeing the same package, agreed. "It could be," he replied.

It was a wonderful birthday party. They played all sorts of games, ate lots of pizza, and ice cream, and cake. FINALLY, it was time to open the gifts.

Joey kept a close eye on Tyler as he peeled the paper off each package. Tyler received lots of neat things, like the brand new baseball and glove, the remote control car, and the super sonic water soaker.

The last box to open was the one with the shiny blue paper. "Could this be it?" Tyler carefully removed the paper, lifted the lid, and...and...and...pulled out a...

...basketball.

A basketball? Joey's heart SANK. He knew this was not what his friend had been waiting for. Amazingly, Tyler still smiled and seemed to be enjoying himself.

After the last of the guests had left, Tyler and Joey took all of Tyler's presents upstairs to his room. Joey felt bad for his friend and said, "I'm sorry you didn't get it."

Tyler looked right at Joey and said, "Don't worry, Joey. It's coming."

Suddenly, they heard the front door open and close. Tyler looked up with excitement and confidence in his eyes. "It's HERE!" he exclaimed and ran down the stairs, skipping them two at a time. Joey was not far behind.

Sure enough, when Tyler reached the bottom of the stairs, there stood his father holding a brand new puppy.

Joey was shocked. "How did you KNOW it was coming?" Joey asked.

Tyler turned around and, looking Joey square in the eye, said, "Because my father gave me his word that I would get a puppy on my birthday, and my father ALWAYS keeps his word." With that, Joey and Tyler burst into laughter and raced outside to play with Tyler's new puppy.

When Jesus gives His word, you can be sure He will keep His promise!