Ethan was turning eight, and for weeks he had been dreaming of one thing: The Galactic Blaster 5000, the coolest, noisiest, most awesome toy blaster in the universe. It lit up, made space sounds, and even had a secret button that shot foam discs. He’d seen it in a commercial once and hadn’t stopped talking about it since.

Every night before bed, he whispered to God in his prayers, “Please let me get the Galactic Blaster for my birthday.” He even tried to be extra good by cleaning his room, helping with the dishes, and letting his little sister go first at snack time. In his heart, he just knew the big day would bring that toy.

When his birthday morning came, Ethan ran to the kitchen, where streamers hung from the ceiling and pancakes were stacked like a tower. He grinned when he saw the brightly wrapped boxes on the table. There were three packages.One was big, one medium, one small. Perfect, he thought.

He tore into the biggest one first.

It was a set of building blocks. Not just any blocks, but the kind that made castles, robots, and bridges.

Ethan blinked. “Oh… cool,” he said, trying to smile.

The next box was a new Bible for kids, with pictures and fun facts. His mom smiled as he opened it. “We thought you’d enjoy reading some of the stories yourself now that you’re getting older.”

“Thanks,” Ethan mumbled.

He opened the smallest box last, heart still hoping. But it was a handmade bracelet from his little sister that read “Best Brother” in rainbow beads.

Ethan sat quietly, trying to keep his face still. But his mom noticed.

“Ethan,” she said gently, kneeling beside him. “Were you hoping for something else?”

He nodded slowly. “I really wanted the Galactic Blaster 5000.”

His mom wrapped her arms around him. “It’s okay to feel a little disappointed. But we have to be careful that our hearts don’t become selfish, even when we don’t get what we want.”

Ethan looked at his gifts, then down at the floor. “I guess I was being selfish.”

His mom smiled and brushed his hair aside. “You know what we can do when that happens?”

He looked up. “What?”

“We can talk to God. Let’s pray together, okay?”

They closed their eyes, and she prayed softly, “Dear God, thank You for Ethan and for this special day. Help him to have a thankful heart. Please forgive us when we get selfish and forget how blessed we are. Teach us to be content with what You give us.”

Ethan added in a small voice, “Sorry, God, for being selfish. Thank You for my gifts. Help me to be happy with them.”

After they prayed, his mom gave him a warm hug. “God cares more about your heart than your toys. And I think your heart just got a little stronger today.”

Ethan looked at his new Bible, then at the building blocks. He opened the box and began building a spaceship. “Maybe the Galactic Blaster 5000 wouldn’t even fit inside my rocket,” he said with a grin.

His mom chuckled. “Probably not.”

And that afternoon, Ethan and his little sister flew their blocky spaceship around the living room, giggling and making up stories of stars, missions, and galaxies far, far away.

It turned out to be a pretty great birthday after all.