Loving With Actions

 

The best feeling of

happiness is when you’re

happy because you’ve made

someone else happy.

~ Sara Lyn Matias

 

Ken and Barbara Young have had an extra busy month.  They scheduled Ken’s cancer tests, treatments, procedures and consultations at MD Anderson around several special occasions with family.  Leaving their home in Oxford, Mississippi, they drove to Houston for Ken’s SBRT radiation treatment.  The following day, they drove to Waco, Texas to celebrate grandson Ethan’s high school graduation.  Soon it was back to Houston for Ken’s radiation.  After this round, he rang the bell to celebrate the completion of that treatment.  New Orleans was the next stop, to celebrate grandson Nathan’s high school graduation.  Then it was back to MD Anderson for more tests.  Next on the agenda was granddaughter Blythe’s dance recital in Waco.  There was one more day of scans in Houston before the Youngs headed home to Oxford.  When they arrived home on June 12, they were greeted by friends.  Knowing Barbara and Ken would be tired from their trip and their son, his wife, and 5 children were coming that same day to spend a week, people in their Sunday School class brought dinner for that night and enough breakfast food and casseroles to last the entire week!  What wonderful, thoughtful, and greatly appreciated acts of love.

 

An elderly man asked Serena Mansey if she knew anything about phones.  He was trying to open a picture his granddaughter had sent of her new baby.  Since the man didn’t have a smart phone, there was not a way to open up the picture on his Nokia.  He hadn’t seen his great-grandchild because they lived in Buxton.  Serena figured out a way to send the picture and open it up on her phone.  The man teared up when he saw the picture.  As a gift of thanks, money was offered to Serena to buy a toy for her young daughter who was with her.  She refused, but the man insisted.  She asked that he stay there for a few minutes.  Serena went to a store and had the picture printed.  A frame was bought and the picture placed inside.  When given the gift, the man shed tears of joy.  Serena reflected, “This just made my day to make someone so happy.”

 

May our thoughtfulness, actions, and gift of time express love and kindness to those around us.

 

You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did.

James 2:22

Serving Others

 

Adam Nixon is 14 years of age.  His neighbor, Pamela LaFontaine, is an RN.  Since she has had a busier than normal schedule the past six months, Adam has been mowing her lawn every two weeks for free.  Recently, a neighbor was able to take a picture to let Pamela know who was responsible for the good deed.

Ali and Chris Sitting, and their 8-year-old granddaughter, went to eat at a restaurant in Yarrawonga, Victoria, Australia.   After they were seated, they noticed an elderly man sitting by himself.  They sent their granddaughter to his table to ask if he would like to join them.  He readily accepted the offer and spent time telling stories about serving in the war and about his wife, who lives in a nursing home nearby.  After they finished eating, Ali went to pay for their meal as well as for their new friend’s dinner.  The waitress told her that people at another table had noticed their kind gesture and had paid for all four of their meals.

 

As a man was leaving his shop for the day, there was a knock on his car window.  One of his regular customers was standing there holding a bag of coins.  When the man was buying his coffee earlier that afternoon, he noticed the place was short on coins so people were given extra money back in change.  Realizing those pennies add up, the customer drove 40 minutes home and then 40 minutes back to bring a baggie full of coins to the employees at The Boundless Bean.  The owner responded, “There were enough coins in this bag to exchange for a latte and a couple of treats, but he wouldn’t have it.  He dropped the coins with a smile and wished me a great day.  So now I’m left wondering…what would happen to our community if we all started watching out for each other like this?  Or even just some of us?  What a beautiful thing that would be.”

 

May we, too, look for opportunities to watch out for and serve others.

 

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.

1 Peter 4:10

 

Spreading Love and Support

 

On her way home from the last graduation/awards assembly for her three children, the inevitable happened.  Lindsay Moore lost her first clump of hair, due to chemotherapy.  She sent an SOS text to her hair stylist telling her, “Hair is everywhere.”  Within 15 minutes, Jenn had opened her shop.  When Lindsay and her mother, Robin, arrived, she was greeted with flowers, cupcakes for her kids, and a stuffed Chihuahua.  Lindsay expressed, “It’s amazing what a stuffed animal can do for a 45-year-old who is losing yet another part of who she once was.”  Jenn gently cut and shaved Lindsay’s hair and then shampooed her scalp.  During the session, time was allotted for pauses, hugs, tears, laughter, and kind words of encouragement.  Her wig was then trimmed and styled.  After finishing, Jenn told Lindsay there was, “No charge” for her services.  And Jenn had even come in on her day off.  Linsday commented, “What a blessing to have someone who knows what they’re doing fix up your wig so you feel somewhat normal.  The fact that I could walk out with a smile is a true testament to who she is.”    Robin noted that she was reminded of, “Invaluable lessons on how to use one’s gifts and talents to spread love and support.”  Lindsay beautifully summed up her experience stating, “This road is not fun but it does have beautiful stops along the way.”

 

Liang Yaoyi, an 11-year-old gifted student from Shenzhen, China, died from a brain tumor.  Before his passing, Liang told his mother, Li Qun, that he wanted her to have his organs donated so he could save as many lives as he could.

 

Paul Marlow noticed that his Principal, Matt Smith, was wearing tennis shoes at the graduation ceremony.  That was definitely odd and out of character from his usual style.  Bill Thomas, a fellow teacher who ran the sound for graduation, was also wearing tennis shoes.  Marlow commented, “After the ceremony I found out that both had surrendered their dress shoes to two young men that did not have proper shoes for graduation.  What an amazing example of the kind and caring people that I get to work with every day!  Thanks for being a great example to our young people.”

 

May we also look for opportunities to spread love and support.

 

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

Colossians 3:12

 

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

1 Thessalonians 5:11