06/06/2026
Teddy Stollard was not the kind of kid who got invited to parties. He slouches in his chair and looks bored most of the time; He only speaks when called upon. He is never dressed right; he has smelly clothes; he is a rather unattractive boy.
Whenever his teacher would mark Teddy’s paper, she got a certain perverse pleasure out of marking all the wrong answers. She would put an F on top with a little flair. She might have known better because his history was on record:
1st grade: Teddy shows promise with his work and attitude, but has a poor home situation.
2nd grade: Teddy is quiet and withdrawn. His mom is terminally ill.
3rd grade: Teddy is falling behind. His mother died this year; his father is Uninvolved
4th grade: Teddy is hopelessly backward. His father has moved away; Teddy’s living with an aunt. Is deeply troubled.
Christmas came, and all the children brought presents to school. They’re carefully wrapped, except for Teddy’s, which was wrapped in brown paper and held together with tape and marked, For Miss Thompson from Teddy.
Miss Thompson opened each gift as the children crowded around to watch. When she opened Teddy’s, it was a rhinestone bracelet with most of the stones missing and a bottle of perfume that was mostly gone.
The other children started to laugh, but Miss Thompson caught herself. Snapping on the bracelet, she said: “Isn’t it lovely, class? And doesn’t the perfume smell good?”
At day’s end, after the other children had left, Ted came by the teacher’s desk and said, “Miss Thompson, all day long you smelled just like my mother. And the bracelet looks really pretty on you. I’m glad you like my presents.”
After he left, Miss Thompson put her head down on the desk and cried. She asked God to forgive her. She prayed that God would help her to see what He sees when she looks at a motherless boy.
The next day, the children were greeted by a reformed teacher — one committed to loving each of them. Especially the slow ones. Especially Ted. Surprisingly, or maybe not, Ted began to show great improvement.
He actually caught up with most of the students and even passed a few. After that, she didn’t see him for quite a while then one day she received this note:
Dear Miss Thompson:
I wanted you to be the first to know. I am graduating from high school and I am second in my class. Love Ted
Four years later, another note arrived:
Dear Miss Thompson:
I wanted you to be the first to know I’m graduating first in my class. The university has not been easy, but I liked it. Love, Ted
And four years later:
Dear Miss Thompson:
As of today, I am Theodore Stollard, M.D. How about that? I want you to come sit where my mother would have sat because you’re the nearest thing to family that I’ve had.
Love Teddy Stollard. M.D
The ability to sign value is one of the rarest and greatest gifts in the world. So, value what God values, people created in his image.
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful. I know that full well.
How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand. Psalm 139:13-14, 17-18 See less
