GRADUATION

A young man was getting ready to graduate college. For      many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer's      showroom, and knowing his father could well afford it, he told him that was all he wanted.


     As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited      signs that his father had purchased the car. Finally, on the morning  of his graduation his father called him into his private   study. His father told him how proud he was to have such a fine son, and  told him how much he loved him. He handed his son a beautiful   wrapped gift box.
     Curious, but somewhat disappointed the young man      opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible. Angrily, he raised his voice at his father and said, "With all your money you give  me  a Bible?" and stormed out of the house, leaving the holy book.
     Many years passed and the young man was very successful in business.      He had a beautiful home and wonderful family, but realized his      father was very old, and thought perhaps he should go to him. He had   not seen him since that graduation day. Before he could make      arrangements, he received a telegram telling him his father had      passed away, and willed all of his possessions to his son. He needed   to come home immediately and take care things. When he arrived at  his father's house, sudden sadness and regret filled his heart.
     He began to search his father's important papers and      saw the still new Bible, just as he had left it years ago. With tears,  he opened the Bible and began to turn the pages. As he read those   words, a car key dropped from an envelope taped behind the Bible. It  had a tag with the dealer's name, the same dealer who had the sports  car he had desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation,      and the words...PAID IN FULL.
     How many times do we miss God's blessings because they are not      packaged as we expected?