Helpers in Action

 

Edith Campen Johnson recently made 25 dozen cookies for the Baptist Student Ministry at the University of West Florida to give to students on the first day of classes.  At 86 years of age, Mrs. Johnson is still finding ways to serve her Lord and Savior.

On Tuesday of this week, some members of the Buffalo Police Department saw a young student trying to ride his bike to school.  The pedal had fallen off and he was trying to stick objects in the socket so he could make it to school on time.  Captain Beyer gave Nyejay a ride to school and told him they would try to fix his bike.  That afternoon, the department surprised Nyejay with a new bicycle and CIT Lieutenant Turello gave him a lock to keep it safe.  In the meantime, Lieutenant Exum is repairing the old bike to give to one of Nyejay’s relatives.

 

Kayla Kondziolka was on her way home from work when her car had a flat.  A young man stopped to help.  Even though he was wearing a white sweatshirt, he insisted on changing the tire.  After the spare was put on, Kayla tried to pay the young man for his assistance, but he refused.

 

Blake Bastin was at a Little League baseball game in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, when the grandfather of one of the players had a health scare.  The game took a break while the adults and emergency personnel were caring for the man.  Bastin, pastor at Crossings Community Church, took note that the group of 9 and 10-year-old boys had formed a circle in the grass, were holding hands, and praying.  They didn’t know what was happening, what could be done, or how long it would be, but they knew that praying was what would make a difference and what they needed to do.  Bastin concluded, “This is the faith we all should have.  Like a child who comes to a loving father.  We don’t have all the answers.  We aren’t sure what to do.  We may be afraid.  And we sense in these moments, we are powerless… so we turn to Him.  And our loving father listens and delights in our prayer.  Thank you for the lesson boys.”

 

Whether it’s baking, repairing something, gifting a needed item, offering a prayer, or a plethora of other options, may our deeds and actions be the love and light of Jesus this week.

 

 

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

James 1:22

 

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

Seizing the Opportunity

 

Sunny Sweeney was recently at an airport waiting for her flight.  She noticed a young military man, wearing a backpack with the name Michael written on it, who was also about to board the plane.  Sunny was standing nearby when a man went up to Michael and thanked him for his service and asked if he could pray for him and his safety.  Tearing up, Sunny shared that she wished every person in the military would know “how many people are praying for you and wishing you good thoughts and safe travels.”

As Laine Herman was on her way to get her children from school, the “low oil” light came on and the car started to lose power.  She looked for the nearest place for help and saw Total Garage in Ramsgate.  As she pulled in, Laine explained to the attendant that she and her family were new to town, she didn’t know anyone to call to help pick up her kids, her husband was at work, and she needed to be at the school and get them now.  Clement asked her if she could drive a manual.  When she replied she could, he went and drove his car and stopped next to hers.  He gave her the keys so she could use his car to pick up her children on time.  Clement then told her to take the kids home and her husband could return his car when he got off work.  By that time, he had arranged for someone to tow her car and fix it.  Laine blogged, “He was truly my knight in shining armor!  I pray God will bless him beyond measure.”

 

Jamara Jonte reported a story about an older man in his neighborhood who gets up early every morning to make sure the kids who live around him are up and ready for school.  One day he caught several of the kids who decided to skip school.  When he questioned why, they explained that the kids at school made fun of them because of their shoes. The next day, while the kids were in school, the man went shopping.  When the bus arrived that afternoon, there was a big surprise.  There were dozens of pairs of new tennis shoes lined up against the fence with a sign that said, “Free sneakers, only if your [you’re] in school.”

 

May we, too, look for opportunities to do good works, which God created and prepared for us to do. 

 

 

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

Bigger Than Baseball

“Winning is important.  It will never stop being important.  But how you treat people along the way will always be more important.”  ~ Kevin Vest

 

On Tuesday afternoon, August 9, 2922, the Little League Southwest Region championship game took place in Waco, Texas, with teams from Pearland, Texas and Tulsa, Oklahoma competing.  Both teams came into the game with hopes of advancing to the finals in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.  Kaiden Shelton was first to pitch for the Texas East team.  During the first inning, Kaiden let a fastball pitch get away.  The ball struck Tulsa’s batter, Isaiah Jarvis, on his helmet.  The helmet immediately flew off Jarvis’ head and the force of the ball caused him to fall to the ground at home plate.  As he clutched his head, coaches and medical personnel ran to check on Isaiah.  Shelton was quietly pacing the area between home plate and the pitcher’s mound.  The Pearland players took a knee and soon Shelton did, too.  After being checked out, Jarvis was able to get up, steady himself, and make it to first base.  Standing on the pitcher’s mound all by himself, with his head looking down and tears falling, it was obvious that Kaiden was shaken up about the play.  Noticing this, Isaiah called for a time out, tossed his helmet to the side, walked to the pitcher’s mound, hugged Kaiden, and assured him that he was OK.  He then encouraged Shelton and ended his conversation with, “Hey, you’re doing just great.  Let’s go!”  There were tears of relief as Shelton’s coach and teammates soon surrounded him on the mound.  In an interviewer after the game, Kaiden was asked what that moment meant to him when Isaiah came out to the mound.  “I felt really bad.  And so, whenever he walks up to the mound and hugged me it really helped me.  And that’s when I realized that baseball like it teaches life lessons.”

Les Strech commented:

This only happens when a player has been coached for years that who they are matters more than how they play.

Your opponent is not the enemy.  You can compete at the highest level and still honor your adversary.

Remembering that you are raising boys and girls to be men and women keeps us focused on the long game for player development.

Isaiah Jarvis’ team did not advance to compete in the Little League championship game in Williamsport, but in the game of life, Isaiah is already a champion.  And may we remember that who we are and how we respond matters, too.

 

Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.  1 Timothy 4:12

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  Colossians 3:12