Tender Hearts

Valentine’s Day is one of the busiest times for florists. This year, there was one order that stuck out above the rest. An older man came in and ordered a dozen yellow roses to be delivered to St. Jude’s Cemetery. Asking if the flowers were for the man’s wife, he explained, “No, they are for her best friend. My wife has Alzheimer’s. She’s in a home now. She doesn’t remember me. She doesn’t remember her own name most days. But she remembers that every year, on February 14th, she used to bring yellow roses to her friend Sarah who died in 1968. She’s been asking about Sarah all week. Fretting.” After paying for the flowers, the man said he would go to the cemetery and take a picture of the roses to show his wife so she would know Sarah was remembered. After hearing the story, the florist said she made the biggest, brightest bouquet she had ever done. “Love isn’t just remembering. Love is helping someone else when they can’t remember.”

Last week, Debbie Potter and her husband went to the beach. While she was applying sunscreen, she asked her husband to hold her wedding ring. He slipped the ring into the back pocket of her shorts. When it was time to leave, Debbie asked for her ring. It was nowhere to be found. Her husband posted on 10 Long Island Facebook pages to see if anyone had found the ring. Several people offered metal detectors. Then he received a response from Mike Jandris that he was getting in his car and should be there in 35 minutes. Within five minutes of his arrival, the ring was found, all because someone they had never met went out of his way to help.

 

In early February, Oxford, Mississippi, was hit with a winter storm. Branches of trees, laden with ice, brought down power lines. The vicinity was without electricity, including The University of Mississippi, “Ole Miss.” After days of waiting for the lights and heat to come on, Angelica, from Chicago, Illinois, stepped in to do her part.

Dear Mayor Tannehill,

My name is Angelica and I am 7 years old. My big brother and big sister go to Ole Miss. I want to give you $5.00 out of my piggy bank to help turn on the electricity. I hope this helps. Good luck!

Love,

Angelica A.

 

May we, too, have tender hearts that are drawn to giving and helping others.

 

Do everything in love.

1 Corinthians 16:14

 

Being Noticed

Principal Michael Glynn, of Central Community Elementary School in Corinth, Maine, recently reported on an activity three of the fifth-grade teachers are doing. Every school day in February, Mrs. Dawe, Mrs. Hart, and Mrs. Poulin add a heart to each of their student’s lockers with a word that describes the person. It is not required. They choose to do so, “Because they believe kids should see proof, every single day, that someone notices who they are becoming. This is how confidence is built. This is how belonging is built. This is how kids become brave enough to be themselves.”

 

People at First Baptist Church of Conroe are collecting gently used formal dresses for their “Princess Gowns” event. The month before prom Junior and Senior young ladies of Montgomery County can go by the church, try on dresses, and select one to have at no cost.

 

Gladys, 67, has been the receptionist at Rosie’s Hair Salon for 16 years. She answers the phone, schedules appointments, and puts out magazines. Gladys also observes and listens. Mrs. Chen, 81, calls and makes hair appointments very six weeks. The day before she is to get her hair cut and styled, she calls and says something has come up and she cancels her appointment. The next time she called Gladys asked Mrs. Chen why she could not come. With tears she explained that after she paid the rent, bills, and bought food she didn’t have enough for her hair. When Gladys told Rosie, she was asked to call Mrs. Chen to come in for her appointment. After her haircut, there happened to be a computer glitch so she didn’t need to pay. Gladys started a quiet list, which was approved by Rosie. Mr. Phillips’ hands shook so much that he couldn’t get a clean shave. A young mother, who had just left a shelter, needed a haircut so she could interview for a job. Both were taken care of with no charge. When regular customers noticed, they began leaving donations for the fund. Mrs. Chen now comes to her appointment every six weeks. Last month, the new stylist, 23-years old, told Gladys, “My mom used to bring me here when I was little. We were so broke. But Rosie never charged us. I thought it was charity. It wasn’t charity, it was dignity. That’s why I became a hairstylist.” She then handed Gladys an envelope and said, “I want to sponsor one person a week forever.” Yes, she is the receptionist, but Gladys says, “People don’t just need services. They need to feel worth the effort. They need to feel seen.”

 

May we have perfect vision when it comes to helping others know they are seen.

 

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.

John 13:35

 

Lifting Others Up

 

“The Snow Team Heroes” are a group of young volunteers in Washington D.C. During the recent ice and snow storm, the young people, and parents and adults who sponsor them, went door to door shoveling snow, breaking up the ice, clearing sidewalks, and then spreading salt to make it safer for the elderly residents in their neighborhood. Rodriguez Norman, Jr., 14-years-old, spent several days making sure the ice and snow were cleared. There were hundreds of others, across the city, who also participated in the volunteer program.

In Summertown, Tennessee, where Highway 20 and Highway 43 meet, there is a food box, on a pole, outside the Shell station. Anyone is welcome to take what they need or to add items to the box. Recently, Sheena Sweeney filled the box to overflowing. She added a note: “God blessed us during these hard days and we are paying it forward! God bless! Praying for all.”

 

Mrs. Chen, 79, lives on the third floor of her apartment building. Since there is no elevator, it makes it a challenge to carry her laundry basket back to her apartment after doing the wash. It sometimes takes her 20 minutes to walk up the steps. Jason, her 17-year-old neighbor, was running down the stairs when he noticed Mrs. Chen. He stopped and said “Let me get that, Ma’am.” Keeping with her pace, he carried the basket up the three flights of steps. When Mrs. Chen said he didn’t have to do that Jason replied, “My Mom raised me right.” He set the basket by her door and sprinted off before she could pay him. “Muscles are made for lifting others up.”

 

Dale Schroeder grew up poor in Iowa. He never married or had children. Dale worked as a carpenter, in the same shop, for 67 years. Living a simple life, he only owned two pair of jeans - one for church and one for work. When Mr. Schroeder died, it was discovered that he had saved up almost 3 million dollars. He had set up a fund to pay for 33 young people, from small towns in Iowa, to attend college debt free. Dale explained that he “knew what it was like to grow up with nothing – and wanted others to have a chance he never did.” The recipients went through an application process. Known as “Dale’s Kids,” they became teachers, therapists, doctors, and professionals.

 

May we also look for ways to lift, bless, and encourage others.

 

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good works,

Hebrews 10:24