I had taken my friend through the Drive thru at McDonald's and she Received the wrong order. But she didn't discover the mix-up until She was home. Since she doesn't have a car, I took her Back, and this time her meal was The correct one with a large bag of Fries added to make up for the mistake. She didn't need to return the previous Order, so I told her, "I'll take it." I hadn't eaten yet myself. When I opened the bag I discovered two Pancake and sausage breakfasts and Two burritos, much too much for my Stomach. But who could use it? The young man across the street came To mind. Sure enough, when I rang his door bell he Was grateful. "Thanks, I really appreciate this." God is still in the business of multiplying Food. A meal intended for one extended to Three of us, and it gave me another chance To show my neighbor that I care about him. Do you suppose the order was really a mistake? |
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I saw the sign again at the intersection.
Day after day a lone figure holds it in the Air rotating it from side to side to Advertise the puppies being sold in The pet shop. Does the ad work? Not on me. But I always feel sorry for the person standing in The heat of summer, or today, in the Autumn chill trying to entice customers to Come into the store. Perhaps it was the cool weather that moved me To action this afternoon. (Or was it the Lord?) When I filled my car with gas, I went inside and Bought a donut, cream filled, topped with Chocolate icing. I parked my car as close to the corner as possible and Approached the woman hidden behind The sign. Her name was Tiffany. We shared a few words and I showed her the Tract that I slipped into the bag along with The donut. She still had two hours to stand and rotate and Seemed eager to eat the treat. I admire her grit. She's willing to work at a job that many would Find demeaning. I hope today, in a small way, she Felt appreciated. I saw the man holding the homeless sign.
But was he really? And why wasn't he working? They are questions I always ask. I had no "homeless bag" in my back seat, And I was in the wrong lane, so I Passed him by. But I couldn't get "off the hook" so easily. The prodding kicked in. I turned around at the next light, Dug a tract and a bill out of my purse and Headed back, this time in the Right lane. He took my gift and thanked me. Perhaps I was mistaken. Perhaps I just enabled him to Buy booze. But on the other hand, what if I Enabled him to take a single step Toward Jesus? The risk was worth it.
The lady's job is a difficult one.
She's a teacher. I was one, too, so I know the challenges. But she is employed in an inner city school. Enough said. A few weeks ago, when school had Just begun, I was searching through my Library and noticed the gift books I had Received when I was still in the Classroom, little volumes written to Encourage teachers. I pulled one off the shelf that looked Brand new. It had no inscription inside so I had no idea who had given it to me. And then an idea popped into my mind. I wrote a note, stuck it in the book and Slipped it inside the teacher's screen door. Yesterday the gal walked by with her dog while I was tending my flowers. "I've wanted to see you," she said. "I came home from school after an Especially hard day feeling totally discouraged when I opened my door and found your book. It made me cry. I felt like I hadn't been forgotten." As we gave each other a hug I wondered Which of us had been blessed the most. It was just a casual conversation at a
Lady's gathering. I complimented another gal on her shirt, Mentioned it was "my" color, a deep blue, And so hard to find. Today in church the friend handed me a Bag. Inside was a long sleeved shirt in That exact shade of blue, just my size, And brand new. I'm wearing it as I type. Our conversation wasn't a casual one to her. She was listening with her heart, And I'm going to try to develop that kind of Hearing too.
I thought you might like to read what my tract says. So here it is.
The outside cover says, "Have A Good One" Inside are the following words: "The clerk's cheerful words followed me as I left the store. It seems like everyone tells me to have a good day. I, in turn, often respond in kind. We mean well by these words of encouragement, but our days don't always seem good, do they. Sometimes they're downright terrible. Within a few weeks my husband became terminally ill, a caregiver introduced bedbugs into our home, and our beloved dog died. Are those kinds of days good? I've discovered they can be good if my focus is right. It became clear to me when I was a teenager. I realized I was a sinner. (Not a politically correct word, but still true.) I trusted Jesus to forgive me and committed my life to Him. Now when the terrible, miserable, no good days come, I focus on Him. He gives me hope! He gives me courage! He gives me strength to keep going! I may never see you again, and I wanted you to know that with Jesus a good day is possible even when everything seems to be going wrong. Have A Good One! (At the end I include my name, the phone number 1-888-Need Him, which will give them information if they call, and the Bible verse John 3:16.) I encourage all of us to write our own tracts. I've helped several friends do their own. They are meaningful because they are our own stories of what Jesus did for us. I actually have written several others that I use according to the individual I am talking to. I give them to servers at restaurants (always with a tip), to check out people at stores, and to others when the Lord gives me the nudge. If the Lord is convicting you, obey. |
Dorothy Kalb Hsu Seitzinger
Writing poetry has helped me process and express my sorrows and joys, my concerns and blessings. "Life is hard, but God is good!" Archives
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