Difference Makers

 

Dolly Parton announced that she is donating $1 million to the relief efforts, from the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene, to “Her Tennessee.”  Her businesses are also making an additional $1 million contribution.

Sarah Taylor reported that 2,000 people had been located at a church in Candler, North Carolina.  They hadn’t eaten in 6 days.  Will Adkins made several helicopter trips to deliver food and supplies.

 

Walmart has donated $10 million for the Hurricane Helene victims.  They also have workers from 3,858 stores filling trucks to deliver needed supplies.

 

Texans on Missions, formerly Texas Baptist Men, left Monday morning, to take supplies and teams to help with cleanup work from heavy flooding in Northeastern Tennessee and North Carolina. 

 

Carolyn Scruggs is from Brevard, North Carolina.  The people at Tractor Supply have loaded a 24’ stock trailer with food for livestock and pets, work gloves, tarps, batteries, shovels, brooms, and other equipment.  They stopped at the Food Lion, in Cleveland, North Carolina, to add food and additional supplies that people brought to donate.  The mule team was able to load and take food and supplies to the people in Black Mountain.  They were able to check on several of the people who were trapped in the area around Swannanoa.  Scruggs stated, “The devastation in the mountains has broken all of our hearts, but we are thankful that even in this sadness, we see God working through so many wonderful people.  We will continue to praise HIM.”

 

Keri Selph, of Selph Farms, has set up distribution points for farmers who are donating hay to the farmers in North Carolina who are the most in need.  People are donating money, to help with the cost of fuel, so the hay is free to the farmers.  There are also farmers in North Florida and South Georgia willing to give and deliver hay.

 

Thursday morning, Paul Lambert and Jason Hall, from Tallowood Baptist Church in Houston, Texas, headed to Boone, North Carolina, to help with disaster response.  They are pulling a UHAUL full of supplies, that church members gave, to meet the requests of churches in the area.

 

Alabama has opened 21 state parks for people who are evacuating from Hurricane Milton.

 

The owners of King’s Arrow Ranch, in Lumberton, Mississippi, have opened their ranch for people who need to evacuate from Hurricane Milton.  They are also generously offering their pastures and stables for animals, livestock, and horses.  The place can sleep 300 and has 80 RV sites available.  King’s Arrow Ranch owners are offering all of the accommodations for free.

 

May we too seize opportunities to be difference makers for God’s glory and the good of others.

 

In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Matthew 5:16

Kindness Matters. Always.

 

The Cooma North Public School rugby league boys played Goulburn North Public School in Goulburn, New South Wales, Australia.  They won the game 8-6.  As the boys were walking back to the bus, they noticed an 81-year-old man in the process of moving the woodpile in front of his house to the backyard.  The boys and dads immediately offered their help and in record time, the wood was moved to the desired location.

Shannon McCarthy-Bibb was having a somewhat rough morning.  The kids were at school and she had already taken her husband to work early that morning.  Instead of going back home, she decided to stop for a frappe.  As she pulled up to the first window to pay, the lady told her it’s free.  Surprised she pulled up to the second window and the lady handed her the drink.  She told Shannon, “I don’t know if you remember me, but you handed me a yellow rose at the gas station.  I was having a horrible day that day and you made it so much better.  Drinks on me.”  Shannon and her kids hand out roses, at times, to make the day brighter for people, to see them smile, and to remind them that they matter.  Never did she expect for the favor to be returned.  Shannon commented, “Today she did more than give me a free drink… She reminded me that there is no act too small to make someone’s day better!!  Kindness matters.  Always.”

 

Rose and Frank Tripp were on their way home from an appointment at the Fresno VA.  Suddenly, Frank made a U-turn and pulled off to the side of the road.  A man was having trouble with his wheel chair and nobody was stopping to give him assistance.  Frank was able to put the drive motor back on so the man could use his chair again.

 

The skate park in Cambridge, Ontario, opened this summer.  Jeanean Thomas’ 6-year-old daughter, Peyton, enjoyed watching the skaters, but thought it was a boy sport.  Being a skateboarder in her youth, Jeanean assured her that girls could skateboard, too.  They went to the basement, found her skateboard, and cleaned it up.  She also purchased a pink helmet for Peyton.  When arriving at the park, Peyton was hesitant to skate because only boys were there.  Timidly, she began to ride.  Jeanean had already prepared her speech to tell the boys that her daughter had a right to skate at the park, too.  Surprisingly, within five minutes, Ryan Carney, an avid skateboarder, came over to offer advice to Peyton.  He showed her how to balance, position her feet on the board, and to steer.  He held her hand and helped her get up when she fell and encouraged her to stay away from the rails so she wouldn’t get hurt.  After an hour of instruction, Peyton was skateboarding with pride and confidence.  When commended, Ryan said, “I didn’t really think that much of it. I went up there simply to be nice.  If I didn’t know what I was doing, and I was in a place that could be intimidating at that age, I’d want someone to help me.”

 

May offering kindness be a priority.  Always.

 

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

Philippians 2:3-4

Doing Good

Last weekend, College Station High School and A&M Consolidated High School competed in their yearly football game.  After the game, the two rival teams gathered in the middle of the field.  With the teams mixed together, the players knelt, with their hand on another player’s shoulder, and prayed together.  How encouraging to recognize that life is more than a sporting event.

Heather Leigh and three of her friends met to eat lunch together.  They remarked that the restaurant was overly crowded that day.  There were several groups of people waiting to be seated, as well as an older lady who appeared to be waiting by herself.  Heather noticed a young man get up from his table and ask the lady if she would like to sit at his table so she wouldn’t have to wait.  The gentleman pulled out the chair next to him, for her to be seated.  During the meal, there was quiet conversation.  Heather commented, “With all the ridiculousness happening in our country, it was nice to see and be reminded that there are still good people out there.”

 

For over 12 years now, a Dutch nursing home has provided free rent to college students, for providing 30 hours of assistance each month.  The students visit with the residents, play games, help with needs, and host dinners.  In return, the students also feel like they have a support system while they are away from home.  Many of the residents and students have become life-long friends.  “Love you” is often heard among the college students and residents.  The workers at the nursing home have also noticed that the students give more than the 30-hour requirement a month to help with the elderly.   

 

Moriah Wells was working the drive-thru window that morning.  A man and his son came by and ordered a gift card for $208.  He explained that his wife would go by Dunkin every morning and order a coffee.  His wife had passed away six months earlier and he wanted to do something to honor her memory.  That was the amount she would have spent on coffee, in a six month time period.  The husband gave the gift card back and asked that they use it for the people in line, until it ran out.  Moriah expressed, “We were all amazed and touched at such a wonderful gesture.  My heart goes out to him and his family for the loss of his wife.  It’s people like him who make the world a better place.”

 

Whatever the situation, may we go about doing good this week.

 

Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

Galatians 6:10

 

Character on Display

 

Sahith Theegala was born in California to Indian immigrants.  He is now one of the leading players on the PGA Tour.  This summer Theegala was participating in the final round of the 3M Open golf tournament at the Tournament Players Club, on July 28, 2024, in Blaine, Minnesota.  While playing a shot from a sand trap, Sahith noticed a small amount of sand had moved on his backswing.  Apparently, no one else noticed.  Since that is a rule violation, Theegala immediately notified his playing partner and a rules official.  The two-stroke penalty ended up costing him $2.5 million in prize money.  That day was a shining display of Theegala’s talent as well as his character.

Caleb Konopka, a 12-year-old from Utah, made eight blankets to take to the local children’s hospital in his city.  Realizing that not every child would receive a blanket, Caleb decided on setting a goal to donate 500 blankets.  With determination, he set out to collect supplies and material for his project.  As of last week, Caleb has delivered 450 blankets.  He is hoping to have the remaining 50 made before the holidays.

 

The past year and a half, Jake Reissig, 86 years old, has had the same routine.  First thing in the morning he goes to the church.  Then he meets one of his nine children for coffee.  Next, he goes home, cuts one rose off of a bush and takes it to the grave of his wife of 65 years.  Due to the dry summer, Jake also takes time to water the grass around her grave.  One day he noticed a woman kneeling and crying.  He found out that her brother had served in the Air Force, but passed away in 2010.  That day, Jake decided to add another task to his list, to water the grave of serviceman Joseph Villasenor.  The next time Joseph’s family visited they were amazed at how green the grass was around his grave.  They couldn’t believe a stranger would honor him in that way. 

 

Johnny, who lives in Taylors, South Carolina, approached Helen Bell about mowing her tall grass.  She explained that on top of everything else she didn’t have the money for that this week.  A few minutes later, Helen heard a noise outside her house and realized Johnny was mowing the grass.  She went out to stop him and remind him she couldn’t pay him, but he continued to mow.  He explained, “I saw your kids playing in the yard and was worried about snakes being in the grass and biting them because the grass is too tall.” Johnny said he is a grandfather and hopes someone would look after his grandchildren in the same way.  Helen remarked, “I told him he has a good heart and I wish more people on earth were like him.” 

 

This week, may our character display God’s love, truth, and grace.

 

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.

1 Peter 4:10