Caring Responses

Beth Dunnington was at LAX waiting to board the plane to Portland.  A toddler, around 18 months old, was having a tough time.  Due to his kicking, screaming, and lying on the ground it was hard for the mother to get ready to board the plane.  Overwhelmed, the pregnant mom sat on the floor, put her head in her hands, and began to cry.  As if on cue, six women, from different parts of the waiting area in the terminal, came together and sat in a circle around the mother and little boy.  None of the women knew each other, but they had a common goal.  Beth began singing “The Itsy-Bitsy Spider” to the boy.  Another lady had an orange that she peeled.  One woman had a toy in her bag that she pulled out for the toddler to play with.  Another person gave the mom a bottle of water while another helped the mom pull out the toddler’s sippy cup to give to him.  It wasn’t long before the mother and son were calmed down and able to make it on their flight.  Beth later commented, “After they went through the door, we all went back to our separate seats and didn’t talk about it.  We were strangers, gathering to solve something.”

Sabrina Laffan picked her teenaged son up from school.  They stopped for a snack and then drove through the car wash before heading home.  As they exited the car wash, her son noticed a woman wearing baseball cleats and pushing a shopping cart along the road.  After commenting that he wished he could buy shoes for everyone who needed them, they stopped a block away at Ross.  Her son bought a pair of tennis shoes, a pair of boots for when the weather turned colder, and a pack with six pairs of socks.  They drove back and found the woman.  Sabrina’s son got out of the car and gave her the gifts.  In return, he received a big hug.  When they determined that the shoes were the right size, he carefully removed the tags and helped the woman put on her new shoes.  When he returned to the car he said, “Ma, today is her birthday.  She was so happy.”  Sabrina commented, “This simple act of selflessness turned it all around.  It put things in perspective for him and for me, too.  He didn’t ask questions, judge her or talk negatively about her situation.  He simply cared.  This kid goes to school, plays football and works six hours a week.  He took basically one week of his pay and unknowingly made this beautiful lady’s birthday special – all because he cared.”

 

Whether with strangers, family, or friends, may we, too, quickly respond with care when seeing a need.

 

Do everything in love.

1 Corinthians 16:14

 

Helpers in Action

While checking out at Target, in Fort Myers, Florida, Rachel Syngo noticed a kind woman bending down and tying an older man’s shoe.  Her younger son was watching his mom with great pride.  Rachel commented, “This is just one of those great reminders that we’re all here together and that it’s still okay to help out a stranger.”

Last week, in Boone, North Carolina, 62 people from the Pennsylvania Amish community built 12 tiny houses in less than 48 hours.  The $300,000 cost was raised and donated by the Amish community. 

 

Sunshine Oelfke is a five-year-old from Ishpeming, Michigan.  Recently she noticed that one of her friends did not have enough money to buy milk at school.  That afternoon, she broke into her piggy bank, put her money in a baggie, and took it to school so her friend could buy milk.  When Sunshine’s mother found out there were other children who couldn’t afford milk, she decided to give part of the commissions she made from her job to pay for the rest of the children to have milk with their meal.  Sunshine’s mother helped her set up a GoFundMe account to pay for the milk for her class.  They raised over $700, enough to provide milk for the entire semester. 

 

John Joyce, 83-year-old from St. Petersburg, Florida, makes a living by mowing lawns.  His 2o year old truck broke down so he was now walking his mower and supplies from house to house to mow lawns.  Sometimes the houses were several miles away from each other.  Nikki and Robert Norton found out about Mr. Joyce’s dilemma and decided they wanted to help.  They had recently married and decided they wanted to give some of their gift money to John.  Nikki also spread the story online.  In less than a month, over 300 people gave money and raised $13,000.  A used car dealership sold them a 2004 Nissan V8 truck at cost.  That Monday they surprised John with the truck, money to pay for insurance, and a new lawnmower.

 

In a small village in Germany, bags of food and supplies are hung anonymously on an iron fence for anyone in need.  There are no cameras or people standing around to record who takes a bag.  The ones who provide the filled bags say, “It’s simply an unspoken gesture of goodwill and service, done with humility and compassion.  This quiet kindness, absent of any need for recognition, serves as a powerful reminder that true generosity often goes unseen, yet its impact is deeply felt.”

 

Whether individually or as part of a group, may 2025 be the year we are quick to notice and respond to those in need.

 

And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

Hebrews 13:16

Preparing for 2025

 

“Chase what matters!”

~ Bruce Hayes

 

 

“Reset…Restart…Refocus…

As many times as you need to.

Just don’t quit.”

~ Jim Rohn

 

 

“How wonderful it is that

no one has to wait, but can

start right now to gradually

change the world.”

~ Anne Frank

 

 

“Consistency over intensity.

Progress over perfection.

Fundamentals over fads.

Over and over again.”

~ Stephen Burrell

 

 

“Leadership is about

sharing success and

letting others shine.”

~ Amy Vetter

 

 

“May gratitude

be your attitude.”

~ Unknown

 

 

“You cannot get through a

single day without having an

impact on the world around you.

What you do makes a difference,

and you have to decide what

kind of difference you

want to make.”

~ Jane Goodall

 

 

“Joy does not simply

happen to us.

We have to choose joy and

keep choosing it every day.”

~ Henri Nouwen

 

 

“Nothing we do

changes the past.

Everything we do

changes the future.”

~ Ashleigh Brilliant

 

 

“Kindness is like snow.

It beautifies

 everything it covers.”

~ Kahil Gibran

 

 

“Worry about your

character, not your reputation.

Your character is who you are.

Your reputation is who

people think you are.”

~ John Wooden

 

 

“Tip your server.

Return your shopping cart.

Pick up a piece of trash.

Hold the door for the person behind you.

Let someone into your lane.

Small acts can have a ripple effect.

That’s how we change the world.”

~ Alexander Green

 

 

As we begin a new year, may we wise about choosing the good in the things we think, say, and do.

 

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.

     And what does the Lord require of you?

To act justly and to love mercy

     and to walk humbly with God.

Micah 6:8