With a Little Help

 

In 1910, at a county fair in Canada, a farmer won a contest for plowing the straightest row.  His prize was a lifetime supply of seed.  Back in those days, Saskatchewan was offering free land to incoming immigrants.  Each weekend the farmer would take his horse and buggy to town and pick up around 20 bags of seed.  He would then go to the train station and give seed to the new families that were arriving to help them start their farming.

Todd Black recently posted a video of young boys, around 8 and 9 years of age, playing in a kids pitch baseball game.  The batter had two swings for strikes.  Between the second and third pitch, the pitcher threw the ball to second base, in order to keep a runner from stealing base.  While that was happening, the catcher took off his glove and helped the boy at the plate reposition his hands on the bat to get a better grip.  On the next pitch, the batter hit the ball and was safe at first!

 

Grady Ferranti, from La Porte, Texas, is 13 years old and loves to play baseball!  His ball team is scheduled to go to two tournaments this summer in College Station and Dallas.  But Grady had a dilemma.  He reported, “My dad got laid off from his job, so it wasn’t very easy.  We were struggling.  And it was harder for me to stay in sports.  It was a struggle.  It made me feel kind of sad but I still had a little bit of faith.”  That’s when Grady’s dad, John, came up with an idea.  They would make tamales to sell.  On Saturday they made several dozen and Grady went to the intersection of Underwood Road and Spencer Highway to sell the tamales and water.  Wearing his baseball uniform and carrying a sign, he got to work.  Someone posted a picture and note on Facebook which drew even more customers.  All the tamales were sold so Grady replenished his water supply and went back to sell more water.  His teacher also came by to contribute.  Besides buying food or water, many people offered extra money and words of encouragement.  “You are doing a really good job.  You are going places.”  With the help of his dad and the community, Grady was able to earn enough money to cover both tournaments and some additional baseball gear.

 

Sometimes all it takes to be successful is a little help along the way.  May we be willing givers and grateful recipients.

 

Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up.

Romans 15:2

 

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Ephesians 2:10

Chacacter and Compassion

 

Every runner has one goal in mind and that is to come in first place.  Months of training build muscle, endurance, and stamina.  On the day of the competition, those efforts and results are put to the test.  Madeline Adams attends Boston College and recently competed in the ACC Women’s Cross Country Championship.  She had trained and prepared for the race and was ready to compete.  With much excitement and determination, the athletes started the race.  Madeline was running well for the entire race, but a few yards from the finish line, her body began to give out on her.  Runners began passing her as she collapsed on the track.  Madeline tried to get up and fell again.  As Evie Tate, from Clemson, approached Madeline, she reached down to help her stand up.  Even with help, her body was dead weight.  That’s when Rachel Pease, from Louisville approached the two runners, stopped to help lift Madeline up, and the three crossed the finish line arm in arm for support.  Instead of ignoring the situation, in order to have a better time, Evie and Rachel helped a fellow runner complete the race.  “The great part that comes out of this is there are two amazing girls that helped me, who are completely selfless and just amazing people with amazing character,” stated Madeline.

After a Chicago Cubs baseball game, Ryan Hamilton was on the rooftop near Wrigley Field and witnessed an interaction with a young lady and a blind man.  He took a few pictures and then posted them on Facebook with the comment: “Wanted to give a shout-out to this girl.  No idea who she is, but we are in Wrigleyville on the rooftop of Old Crow Smokehouse.  There was a blind Cubs fan trying to hail a cab for several minutes until the lady came up and asked him if he needed help hailing a cab.  She stood there with him until one pulled up.  Share freely in hopes that her kindness spreads.”  It was soon noted that the lady was Casey Spelman, a speech and language pathologist at The Indiana School for the Deaf in Indianapolis.  She was in town to visit a friend.  As Casey was walking down the crowded sidewalk by Wrigley Field, she noticed a blind man with a white walking cane having difficulty catching a cab.  Casey asked the man if she could assist him.  While waiting for a ride, the man introduced himself as Yusef Dale, an assistant U.S. attorney in Chicago.  Talk soon turned to baseball and the game.  Within a few minutes, Casey was able to flag down a cab for Yusef.  Her willingness to give a few minutes of her time was a blessing to Mr. Dale.

 

When opportunities arise, may we, too, be quick to share kindness and compassion.  And since we might not know who is watching, may the choices we make, our actions and reactions, be ones that can encourage and inspire others to share kindness as well.

 

 

He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”

Luke 11:28

 

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”

1 Corinthians 10:31

 

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.

James 1:22

What Great Love

 

Even knowing what was about to happen…

 

“AND ON THE NIGHT HE WAS

betrayed

HE BROKE BREAD AND LIFTED IT UP AND

gave thanks.”

1 Corinthians 11:23-24

 

 

LIVING

He loved me

DYING

He saved me

BURIED

He carried my sins far away

RISING

He justified; freely, forever

ONE DAY HE’S COMING,

Oh, glorious day!

~ John Wilbur Chapman

 

 

And in response to this great love, may our lives show evidence of a faith and relationship with Jesus that makes a difference in the ways we choose to trust, worship, speak, treat people, forgive, minister, and live in obedience.

 

 

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.

John 3:16-17

 

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

John 14:6

 

Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.

Acts 4:12

 

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 5:8

 

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 6:23

 

If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Romans 10:9