Whatever it is -- Let’s Face it Together

Have you had that kind of friend who wouldn’t take “no” for an answer. You may have said, “No, I can do it myself” or “No, I’ll be okay” or “No, I’ll figure out a way to handle this myself.” But, they would not leave you or forsake you. They were relentless in their efforts to help you. Don’t we want that kind of friend -- even though we don’t want to put them out or take their time? Well, I have friends like that – especially since I’ve been here in Tulsa the last couple of weeks. They have been relentless in seeing after me, bringing me meals, taking me to the doctor, and checking in on me. I’m okay -- nothing serious on my part – but they are friends who don’t take “no” for an answer.

It is a reminder to me of the story in the Book of Ruth of Naomi and her two daughter-in-laws, Orpah and Ruth. All three women had recently suffered the loss of their husbands. In the depths of Naomi’s grief, she encouraged the girls to go back to their people, and to start a new life. It didn’t take much convincing for Orpah to leave. But Ruth saw right through Naomi’s pain. She refused to go, doubling down on her commitment to Naomi. Ruth was blessed with generosity, compassion and empathy. Even though she had no obligation to Naomi, her love for her mother-in-law and friend made her fiercely loyal.

“‘Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God." (Ruth 1:16)
I have read that story many times and my husband and I even said Ruth’s words to Naomi in our wedding vows. “Ruth” means compassion for the misery of another; empathetic, and “ruthless” means without ruth; not empathetic.

So, the question is: Do we have a Ruth in our life? Do we have someone who won’t let us have a pity party? In reality, we may want grievers with us but what we need is a Ruth -- someone who refuses to leave us when we’re down-and-out. We all experience moments of disappointment, great loss, grief, and despair. Our human nature wants to recoil, to withdraw, to turn so inward that we lose sight of the Light.

But, what we need are good friends who refuse to leave us. We need good friends who encourage us to just keep swimming, telling us that they will not abandon or forsake us. Remember Dory in the “Finding Nemo” movie? She kept saying to Nemo "just keep swimming", meaning "don't give up." We need good friends who love us like they love themselves. The Lord brings so much healing to our hearts through the Ruths in our lives.

Maybe today, you are a Naomi, and you need a Ruth. We pray that God brings a Ruth to you – but maybe your way of rebounding is to be a Ruth in someone’s life. You can either be ruthless (bad and not empathetic) or a Ruth (good and empathetic).

Friendship is supposed to be entering into a relationship not because of what we can get out of it but because of what it is. We are called to be examples of Christ’s love to the world. When we break free of the selfishness that poisons so many of our relationships and focus on giving our time, effort, and love to those around us, we portray a beautiful image of Christ’s own self-giving. No matter where we are in life or where we stand with our faith, we have the opportunity to bring others (and ourselves) closer to God by being a Ruth to someone today. Thank you to all the “Ruths” that have blessed me in my life so much!

Recognizing a Holy Moment

It’s the first Sunday of the month and I am a Greeter at my church. This particular Sunday I can’t stay for my full shift because I need to leave about ten minutes early for a meeting. I ask my fellow greeter who is posted at a less-traffic door if she’d switch with me today because the door I typically “man” is the front door where much more traffic comes through. I know it will be easier for me to slip away early at the less-traffic door.

As I make my way to that door and open it, I see a “dressed to the nines” with perfectly coiffed hair, older woman on her cell phone. She is holding fast to the handrail that supports those who need help coming up the slight incline. Her conversation on her phone ends and I watch her hold tightly to the railing as she makes her way to me. I’m cheering her on from my vantage point. She comes to my opened door, beaming. I say “You made it! You are a winner!” I reach my arms out to give her a hug and say “Welcome, beautiful lady! Just look at you all dressed up and looking so beautiful for the King!” She breaks into conversation: “Thank you for making me feel so good. I was talking to my daughter. She wants me to live with her and she doesn’t like it when I go out alone like this, but I have to! I have cancer. It’s terminal. I don’t know how much longer I have but I do know I don’t want to stay home and feel sorry for myself. I want to come to church where I can praise my Lord and be with people. It takes my mind off myself. It’s the best place to be!” This sweet woman is preaching a sermon and doesn't even realize it. I compliment her huge “Vera Bradley” tote bag and she says “Oh, my daughter bought this for me! She got tired of seeing me carrying so many things. Just look in here. It holds my medicine, shawl, and all my stuff!" She welcomes it when I ask if I can say a little prayer for her. I pray a few words of God's love and His perfect timing for her race to end but in the meantime, I pray for her comfort and lots more Holy Moments like today.

Like clockwork, another older woman is coming through the door who is carrying an adorable purse with a big pink bow on it. I exclaim “Good Morning, beautiful! I love your purse!” She replies “Oh, my daughter gave it to me!” And my other friend says “Me, too! My daughter gave me my purse!” The second woman asks “What are your names? My name is Delores!” “I’m Sonya” and I say “Donna”! We get into a group hug and are sharing in a Holy Moment – a divine set-up for all three of us – women who need connections and warm embraces! If I were at the other door, I might have missed this Holy Moment!

Holy Moments are really attractive. They differentiate us from the world. Holy Moments are those we set aside self-interest, what we feel like doing, and we have a little conversation with God and we say: “Alright God, what do you want me to do in this moment?” Then we do exactly what we feel God is calling us to do in that moment. That's a Holy Moment and Holy Moments tend to be filled with kindness, generosity, patience, courage, love and thoughtfulness, so, they're incredibly attractive.

Holy Moments help us grow in character; they help become a better-version-of-ourselves; they help us become the person God created us to be. And when we create enough of them, people will say: “Wow, she's got something I don't have”; “I want what he's got.” That's how the first Christians did it. That's how they spread across the world at a breakneck pace. They used the very powerful force of attraction -- not promotion. Let’s be attractive today. Someone needs just a little bit of our time that makes them feel worth living! Lord, please use us today!

Acts of Random Kindness aka ARK

Yesterday, I joined with about 60 other volunteers from my church, to donate the fixin’s and make over 2,400 sandwiches for the homeless in downtown Dallas. The sandwiches, carrots and raisins were then taken to the “The Soup Mobile” which is a mobile soup kitchen that feeds and shelters the homeless in Dallas. Their Mission Statement are the three simple words of Christ to Peter, “Feed my sheep.” It felt so good to participate in a simple act of kindness to feed Christ's precious sheep.

Jesus said, in Matthew 5:25, "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in."

I remember the story of the starfish -- we can't help them all, but we can certainly make a difference one by one. That's what God calls us to do – every day -- at home and in places where we can help "save" a life!

After that time well spent, I stopped by Taco Bell for a quick drive-through lunch, placed my order and went to pay my $5.95 bill and the cashier said, “Your food was paid by the man in front of you. The lady in the car in front of him paid for his bill." I wasn’t about to be outdone – I paid for his bill. We were paying it forward. Acts of Random Kindness aka ARK – those times when we just can’t help ourselves, we want to see kindness spread like wild fire.

I love seeing the generosity of people who do random acts of kindness -- like that one who stops to help someone with a flat tire or who leaves a little "extra" tip for their waitress or simply rushes to open the door for others.

When we genuinely care about people, we find ourselves paying attention to what might be a blessing to them. As our love grows, the details of their lives become more and more important to us. It begins to really matter to us if they are sad or discouraged, struggling or in pain, needy or lonely. A sure sign that our concern for people is growing is when we find ourselves looking at people and thinking, “What would help her? What would help him? What does he need? What does she need?” We might even ask God, “How can I serve this person? How can I make his or her life easier?

A.R.K. -- Acts of Random Kindness -- Let's start a flood of kindness!! The flood that comes from a simple Act of Random Kindness -- caring and sharing from our bounty of blessings with others. What can we do to make someone's life better each day? Maybe it's just a hug or a smile.....randomly pay for someone's meal....pay a compliment, offer to baby sit for a weary single parent, take someone a meal, wash someone's car, send a card or make a phone call to encourage someone. There are so many little things we can do to help someone have a better day – that doesn’t cost anything.

Let's TRY A LITTLE KINDNESS today......perhaps our kindness might just be what someone needs to change their dark world to light and bright!

Ephesians 4:31-32 “Stop being mean, bad-tempered, and angry. Quarreling, harsh words, and dislike of others should have no place in your lives. Instead, be KIND to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another..."

Love is Giving AND Receiving

I hit the ground running – rather, driving to Tulsa on Friday for my Tulsa love fix – spending time with my dear mother-in-law, some of my friends from Hyde Park, my bestie - Sheila Michie, my godson and his family,and other precious friends from my home parish, Church OfThe Madalene, my Life Group sisters and my sweet great niece, Anna and my sis, Karen. Whew! I was able to pack a lot of love into these three days.

Adding to that mix, was attending Catholic Charities “Cooking Up Compassion” on Saturday night, where over a thousand guests were a part of this annual fundraiser night that brings hundreds of thousands of dollars into this most worthy organization that feeds the poor, provides dental care, education and immigration services, disaster relief services, takes care of unwed mothers, provides adoption opportunities to loving families and so much more – all done with such dignity and love by this caring community.

Adding to that mix, was attending Catholic Charities “Cooking Up Compassion” on Saturday night, where over a thousand guests were a part of this annual fundraiser night that brings hundreds of thousands of dollars into this most worthy organization that feeds the poor, provides dental care, education and immigration services, disaster relief services, takes care of unwed mothers, provides adoption opportunities to loving families and so much more – all done with such dignity and love by this caring community. It was a joy to be able to give along with others who have such deep appreciation for what Catholic Charities does for those in need, regardless of their religion or ethnicity. There were live auctions where we saw generosity go to a whole new level, especially when the top earning, auctioned item -- Fr Jack Gleason and Fr Gary Kastl will offer their culinary talents to create a 7-course feast for 12 people -- went for $24,000. Bishop David Konderla’s handmade and carved wooden bowl went for $5,500. Four Dallas Cowboy Tickets went for $5,000. An adorable Goldendoodle puppy went for $9,000. I’m sure it wasn’t the items, themselves, as much as it was the opportunity to make a difference in so many lives impacted by Catholic Charities.

Yes, love is giving and receiving. The rewards are so many when we make the effort to connect, remember the reasons why the people in our lives made such an impact on us. It's like a boomerang -- when we give love, it will come back to us. If we give joy, we'll receive back joy. Like this first photo of the little bird and his reflection, we should be a reflection of what we want to receive. If we want love, we give love. If we want truth, we need to be truthful. What we give out will come back to us. It's the law of reciprocity.

That LAW isn't new at all. It started with the greatest of all GIVERS when Jesus said, "Give......and it shall be given!" We've heard the words: "Serve....and you shall be served." "Love....and you shall be loved." "Be a friend.....and you shall have friends."

Zig Ziglar, a dear friend of ours, said, "You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want." Smart and truly successful people get this. Most times we give..... with absolutely no expectation or desire to receive back.....but it's just those laws....God's Laws of Reciprocity.....YOU WILL RECEIVE, when your heart's attitude is to GIVE, SERVE and LOVE! REAL LIVING comes from a heart of giving!

Good or Bad Name?

When we hear someone's name, quite often their character and integrity accompanies our thoughts about them. "Phil is such a kind man." "Kim is so generous." "I wouldn't trust Sam for that position."

King Solomon said, "A good name is more desirable than great riches....." Proverbs 22:1, and he also said, "A good name is better than fine perfume.” Ecclesiastes 7:1.

In the ancient world, they would often use very rare oils and sweet-smelling perfumes for special occasions. King Solomon wanted us to understand that even as expensive as those precious ointments were, their value and all the riches in the world, didn't compare to a good name.

Our good name stays with us wherever we go and in every setting of life. It will last past our lifetime. What do people think when they hear your name? Do they think about your integrity, your honesty, your heart of giving and serving?

I'm certain that the more we live in the mindset of WWJD "What Would Jesus Do?", the more His character will be seen in us....and our GOOD NAME will go before us, opening doors of blessings and friendships beyond what we can imagine!

We can't take the riches with us when we leave this world......but we sure can take our good name! I'm counting on that!

Try a Little Kindness

Day 304 of Photo Inspirations -- Try a Little Kindness
Remember Glen Campbell's song from the 70's --  "Try a Little Kindness"?
If you see your brother standing by the road,
With a heavy load from the seeds he sowed.
And if you see your sister falling by the way,
Just stop and say you're goin' the wrong way.
You've got to try a little kindness, yes, show a little kindness.
Yes, shine your light for everyone to see.
And if you'll try a little kindness, and you'll overlook the blindness,
Of the narrow minded people on the narrow minded streets.

I was reminded of that song yesterday when I walked into Wal-Mart and passed the Redbox kiosk with this $1.00 in a plastic baggie taped to it, with a note that said "Enjoy a movie.  Pay it forward!"  I loved it.  I stood back and saw several people check out the note and keep on moving.  I'm sure they were like me and figured -- "give it to someone who needs the dollar".

That's just a small example of kindness. It really seems that kindness and generosity have gone to a whole new level in our world. I love seeing the generosity of people who do random acts of kindness like those who pay for the meal of the car behind them in the drive through line, or who stop to help someone with a flat tire, or who leave a little "extra" tip for their waitress.

I'm still teaching a Bible Study on the Fruit of the Spirit and this last week's lesson was about the quality of Kindness -- so of course seeing this Redbox "kindness" reemphasized how it works.  When we genuinely care about people, we find ourselves paying attention to what might bless them.  We might even think about their circumstances and become concerned about their welfare.  We're willing to get involved in their lives.  As our love grows, the details of their lives become more and more important to us.  It begins to really matter to us if they are sad or discouraged, struggling or in pain, needy or lonely.  Caring about others sure does eliminate unfriendliness, a lack of compassion, and a judgmental spirit.  So we need to ask God to help us have greater love and compassion for others.

A sure sign that our concern for people is growing is when we find ourselves looking at people and thinking, “What would help her?  What would help him?  What does he need?  What does she need?”  We might even ask God, “How can I serve this person? How can I make his or her life easier?

Let's TRY A LITTLE KINDNESS today......perhaps our kindness might just be what someone needs to change their dark world to light and bright!

Ephesians 4:31-32 “ Stop being mean, bad-tempered, and angry. Quarreling, harsh words, and dislike of others should have no place in your lives. Instead, be KIND to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another..."

Does Your Branding Include Sharing Your Blessings?

Day 26 of Photo Inspirations --
Driving back to Tulsa from Sapulpa, I passed this property where at Christmas they have the most spectacular Christmas lights (over 2 million) on their 3/4 mile property. Other times of the year, what captures your attention is the property is lined with American flags.   I did a little research and found that on this property is Paragon Industries, and that at the beginning of Desert Storm, in a strong show of support for the U.S., Paragon placed over 250 American flags along their Highway 117 property, and they continue to fly these flags today.

How many times have I passed that property and never considered what made them be so "all in" with Christmas and with their patriotism?  But, then I was never "in the moment" to consider the "why" behind their branding. On this property is Paragon Industries.  I had no clue about them.  I think about how many museums, successful businesses, tourist attractions, historical landmarks, and other noteworthy things of interest that I have missed in my city and state and around this country -- simply because I just didn't take the time to seize the moment.  I know God gave me the inspiration for this year.  He wanted me to celebrate my life and this wonderful world He made for me, on a daily basis, and what a Master-minded idea He had when He told me to be on a quest for a "photo inspiration" for each day.  He knew it would cause me to be PRESENT in each day -- and when I am PRESENT, I get to experience His PRESENCE.  The places, the people, the things that are such a part of our culture -- often are overlooked because of our inability to be PRESENT and to "stop and smell the roses". And here's what else I learned about  Paragon.

In 1970, Jack Wachob purchased Sapulpa Machine and Tool as a service shop where drilling contractors could rent "fishing tools", have a machinist repair a part, or even call a portable welder out to a location 24 hours a day.  He started with two employess and today, Paragon Industries has grown to a mega corporation of over 400 employees.    Their customer base is now from New York to Montana, from Texas to Canada, and even to South America.

I don't know that I'll ever have a need to "shop" for their products or services, but, I have such an appreciation for their "irrational generosity" to our community and to our great country.  I'm convinced that their success was too big to keep all to themselves.  It's those companies and individuals that believe the greatest success we have is best shown by how we share our blessings. Paragon has sure done that!
#ParagonIndustries #IrrationalGenerosity #BlessedToBeABlessing