Being Good to People

 

No matter what

happens in life, being

good to people is a

wonderful legacy to

leave behind.

~ Taylor Swift

 

Spring Bowlin did some shopping during her lunch hour.  An older man was in front of her in the check-out line.  After being given the total, he began emptying out a pocketful of change.  He was counting the money, lost track, apologized to Spring for taking so long, and started counting again.  That’s when the cashier said, “This is not a problem, honey.  We will do this together.”  After the man paid and left, Summer looked at the woman and thanked her for being so patient.  The cashier shook her head and replied, “You shouldn’t have to thank me, baby.  What’s wrong with our world is we’ve forgotten how to love one another.” 

 

Greg Brooks is a safety on LSU’s football team.  He recently had emergency surgery to remove a brain tumor.  The LSU team wore #3 on their helmets at its game last week in his honor.  Brooks played his first two years of college football at Arkansas, before returning home to play his last two years at LSU.  The coaches from Arkansas spoke very highly of Brooks.  The Arkansas team also wore #3 on their helmets for the game, to honor Greg Brooks.

 

Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Bogue were recently honored with the Bobcat Pride Award at the Hallsville Independent School District board meeting.  Every morning, for decades, Mr. and Mrs. Bogue have sat on their front porch, waved to the students and wished them a good morning and to have great day at school.  If the Bogues ever missed being outside, people called to check on them.  The morning encounters are special for the Bogues, the students, and their families.  During COVID, when the schools were closed, the kids would have their parents drive by the Bogue's house so they could still get their wave!

 

Mark Sellers has been a driver for H-E-B for 14 years.  A few weeks ago, as he was driving down Highway 99, he saw a stalled car on the side of the freeway.  James and Starla Mizell were standing beside the car, with their 8-week-old baby.  The heat index was 115 that day.  Sellers pulled over and invited the family to sit in the cool cab of his truck until help could arrive.  Starla commented, “Being a first-time mom, you don’t ever expect to be in a situation like that.  It’s terrifying.  I know that he was a vessel for God to help us, I know that for sure.”

 

May we, too, look for opportunities to be good and kind during these days.

 

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

Galatians 5:22-23

 

Do everything in love.

1 Corinthians 16:14

 

Thoughtful Deeds

Upon making a stop, a delivery driver noticed the empty trash can at the end of the driveway.  He rolled the can to the side of the house and then delivered the package to the front porch.  Once again, a security camera solved the mystery of identifying the good deed person.

Steve Chu and Ephrem, owners of Ekiben, a restaurant in Baltimore, Maryland, found out that one of their customers was craving their broccoli tempura.  The problem was that she was now in Vermont, staying with her daughter, since she had stage 4 cancer.  Instead of sending recipes, Steve, Ephrem, and an employee, Joe, drove the six hours to Vermont and cooked for the lady and her family for a few days.  The meals were “just like she remembered.”  The daughter reported that the men wouldn’t let her pay for the meals, gas money, or the Airbnb where they stayed.  Her mother told Good New Movement, “The overwhelming generosity and gigantic hearts of these young men will make me warm and happy forever.” 

 

Ginger Kabureck is a teacher at Highland High School in Highland, Illinois.  One day last week, she instructed the students in her Athletic PE class to run their fastest mile.  She noticed that Isaac was struggling a bit at the end of lap 3, but he wasn’t going to quit, even though the other students had already completed the run.  That’s when Coach Kabureck noticed that Blasé, Caiden, and Blane had joined Isaac for the final lap so he wouldn’t have to run alone.  She commented, “It was awesome to see this level of sportsmanship, friendship, and empathy out of teenagers!  Days like today are the best!”

 

Two rival teams, from Katy ISD, played football on September 8.  Due to homecoming court presentations, Taylor High School’s band did not have time to march at half-time.  Instead, they performed their show after the game.  Coach Chris Dudley, from the opposing Cinco Ranch team, had his players watch from the sidelines.  A bystander noted, “This is so RARE!  And WONDERFUL!  Coach Dudley is a class act in showing his players the importance of repaying the respect for the students who support players week after week. And for a rival school.  His examples of class never end.”

 

May we, too, look for ways to lighten the load, encourage, and make a difference for those around us.

 

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

James 1:22

 

Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.

Romans 12:10

 

To Ponder

 

 Children are great imitators

so give them something

great to imitate.

~ Philip Johnson

 

 

Start where you are.

Use what you have.

Do what you can.

 ~ Arthur Ashe

 

 

Think twice before you speak,

because your words and

influence will plant

the seed of either

success or failure

in the mind of another.

~ Napolean Hill

 

 

It’s the little

details that are vital.

It’s the little

things that make

big things

happen.

~ John Wooden

 

 

What you do today

can improve all

your tomorrows.

~ Ralph Marston

 

 

PEOPLE

GENERALLY SEE

WHAT THEY LOOK FOR

AND HEAR

WHAT THEY LISTEN FOR

~ Harper Lee

 

 

We must be honest enough

to admit our mistakes,

intelligent enough

to learn from them,

and courageous enough

to correct them.

~ Hanuman

 

 

Champions do not

become champions when

they win the event, but

in the hours, weeks,

months, and years they

spend preparing for it.

The victorious performance

itself is merely the

demonstration of their

championship character.

~ Alan Armstrong

 

 

Often when you think you’re

at the end of something,

you’re at the beginning of

something else.

~ Fred Rogers

 

 

You can always give something,

even if it is only kindness.

~ Anne Frank

 

 

It is not who is right,

but what is right,

that is important.

~ Thomas Huxley

 

 

Patience is not simply

the ability to wait,

it’s how we behave

while we’re waiting.

~ Joyce Meyer

 

 

And after pondering, may it make a difference in our thoughts, actions, words, and deeds.

 

 

Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. Do everything in love.

1 Corinthians 16:13-14

 

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

Colossians 3:12