Ms. Doris lives in a memory care home near Wylie, Texas. Recently, Ashley and Nathan Dame took their A Cappella Choir to places around Dallas to sing carols and visit with the residents. At the last center, as the choir began to sing, they noticed Ms. Doris was lightly conducting the students from her walker. After the song, Nathan asked her if she had been a choir director. When she said she had, he offered for her to direct the singers in their next song. Doris was so excited for the opportunity to direct again. Afterwards, Ms. Doris told the choir and directors, “I’ll feel this moment for the rest of my life. I may not remember from day to day, but I’ll remember in my heart and my arms.”
While shopping at Dollar Tree, Robyn Arnold was behind a lady, with three carts full of toiletries, in the checkout line. Out of curiosity, Robyn asked the lady about the items. She mentioned that she was filling care packages to send to Kenya. Robin gave the woman $20 and asked if she could take her picture to show her third-grade students, in hopes that they would be encouraged to do random acts of kindness, too.
Michelle Stephenson’s mother-in-law spends hours, throughout the year, collecting and buying baby dolls. She cleans them and then sews new clothes for the dolls. During December, she donates the dolls for little girls in need. This year Mrs. Stephenson will gift over 200 dolls.
Morris kept an old rusted umbrella stand outside the barbershop entrance. Beside it was a sign stating, “Take one if it’s raining. Return it when you can. Or don’t.” Morris’ customers and the people in town warned him that the umbrellas would be stolen. They were right. The first week all were taken. Morris bought six more. After a few months, something changed. A businessman returned the umbrella he had borrowed and added two more to the stand. A grandmother donated four. A student returned the one he had used with a thank you note. There were now over thirty umbrellas in the stand. People now took time to speak to each other around the umbrella stand. Last month Morris had a stroke and had to close the barbershop. The umbrella stand stayed. The people in town have repainted the sign and are keeping the stand well stocked. At 72, Morris is recovering and making a difference in his community, one umbrella at a time.
Especially during this busy season, may our thoughts and intentions turn into action.
And as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good.
2 Thessalonians 3:13
Enjoyed this one Debbie
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