Good morning and happy Wednesday to all of you! It is beautiful this morning, although we continue to have hazy skies, I am awake, I have had my morning chat with our Father in Heaven and I am ready to face whatever may come my way today! This morning in prayer as I prayed for all those who have come with special specific requests, for those who are in the war with cancer, those who are suffering pain without the physicians being able to determine the cause, for those who are struggling with addiction, depression, financial woes, troubled teens, going through rehabilitation, those who are riddled with brick walls, high hurdles, steep mountains, those having relationship troubles and the list goes on and on. I asked Father God to give you this day as a rest day, to take all of the troubles you are fighting with and to allow you a day to re-group, to re-order, and to re-cooperate. I asked him to give you knowledge today, that all things are possible with him in your life, I asked him to hold and comfort you, to clear your thoughts as you speak with him so that he might touch your mind and make things more clear to you, to give you strength to come up with a plan and to give you "grit" to rise up with a new attitude, with a more fluid faith and with sheer determination. I believe in the power of prayer and I know that all prayers are answered. It may not be in the manner that you design but still they are answered according to his plan. God is good my friends, he is there to catch you, steady you, and set you on your way when you stumble...he will never let you fall if only you reach out to him. I ask mercy, grace and an abundance of blessings for you and yours in Jesus' beautiful name. Amen.
Each night I read inspirational stories before I go to sleep, these type of stories render for me a peace filled sleep, inspiration combined with prayer is the key to sweet dreams. I love the picture that I came across to go with my message this morning, "don't wait for people to be kind, show them how" what a wonderful thought, leading by example is showing God that we are walking in Jesus' footsteps. I have read this one several times but for some reason last night it brought me to tears. I hope it will touch you today and in your hustle bustle day you might recognize that you have been in this situation and have never repaid...let today be the day that if given the opportunity that you recognize it and pay it forward! Love to each of you:)
Acts Of Kindness
This young man was driving home one evening, on a two lane country road. Work in this small mid-western community was almost as slow as his beat-up Pontiac, but he never quit looking. Ever since the factory closed, he'd been unemployed, and with winter coming on, the chill had finally hit home.
It was a lonely road. Not very many people had a reason to be on it, unless they were leaving. Most of his friends had already left. They had families to feed and dreams to fulfill, but he stayed on. After all, this was where he buried his mother and father. He was born here and he knew the country. He could go down this road blind, and tell you what was on either side, and with his headlights not working , this came in handy.
It was starting to get dark and light snow flurries were coming down. He'd better get a move on. You know, he almost didn't see the old lady, stranded on the side of the road. But even in the dim light of day, he could see she needed help. So he pulled up in front of her Mercedes and got out. His Pontiac was still sputtering when he approached her.
Even with the smile on his face, she was worried. No one had stopped to help, for the last hour or so. Was he going to hurt her? He didn't look safe. He looked poor and hungry. He could see that she was frightened, standing out there in the cold. He knew how she felt. It was that chill which only fear can put in you. He said, "I'm here to help you Ma'am. Why don't you wait in the car where it's warm? By the way, my name is Bryan."
Well, all she had was a flat tire, but for an old lady, that was bad enough. Bryan crawled under the car looking for a place to put the jack, skinning his knuckles a time or two. Soon he was able to change the tire. But he had to get dirty and his hands hurt. As he was tightening up the lug nuts, she rolled down the window and began to talk to him. She told him that she was from St. Louis and was only just passing through.
She couldn't thank him enough for coming to her aid. Bryan just smiled as he closed her trunk. She asked him how much she owed him. Any amount would have been all right with her. She had already imagined all the awful things that could have happened had he not stopped.
Bryan never thought twice about the money. This was not a job to him. This was helping someone in need, and God knows there were plenty who had given him a hand in the past. He had lived his whole life that way, and it never occurred to him to act any other way. He told her if she really wanted to pay him back, the next time she saw someone who needed help, she could give that person the assistance that they needed, and Bryan added "...and think of me." He waited until she started her car and drove off.
It had been a cold and depressing day, but he felt good as he headed for home, disappearing into the twilight.
A few miles down the road the lady saw a small cafe. She went in to grab a bite to eat, and take the chill off before she made the last leg of her trip home. It was a dingy looking restaurant. Outside were two old gas pumps. The whole scene was unfamiliar to her. The cash register was like the telephone of an out of work actor--it didn't ring much.
Her waitress came over and brought a clean towel to wipe her wet hair. She had a sweet smile, one that even being on her feet for the whole day couldn't erase.
The lady noticed that the waitress was nearly eight months pregnant, but she never let the strain and aches change her attitude. The old lady wondered how someone who had so little could be so giving to a stranger.
Then she remembered Bryan. . .
After the lady finished her meal, and the waitress went to get change for a hundred dollar bill, the lady slipped right out the door. She was gone by the time the waitress came back. She wondered where the lady could be, then she noticed something written on the napkin under which were 4 one-hundred dollar bills. There were tears in her eyes when she read what the lady wrote. It said: "You don't owe me anything, I have been there too. Somebody once helped me out the way I'm helping you. If you really want to pay me back, here is what you do: Do not let this chain of love end with you."
Well, there were tables to clear, sugar bowls to fill, and people to serve, but the waitress made it through another day. That night when she got home from work and climbed into bed, she was thinking about the money and what the lady had written. How could the lady have known how much she and her husband needed it? With the baby due next month, it was going to be hard.
She knew how worried her husband was, and as he lay sleeping next to her, she gave him a soft kiss and whispered soft and low, "Everything's gonna be all right - I love you, Bryan."
-- Author Unknown --
PRACTICE RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS!!! We are never prepared for what we receive!!!
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