What Difference Does a Hamburger Make?

My oncology nurse friend is all about bringing sunshine into the world. What a joy it must be for her patients who face a riveting cancer diagnosis. Her bright light intersects their darkness with hope. In addition to her nursing job, she is also a volunteer at a charitable organization that is truly a "back-up resource" for families who have a loved one dealing with cancer, and if that's not enough.....she goes to hospice facilities to cheer up the families and their loved ones. I couldn't resist sharing the following story with you. It touched me so much.

Jodi was headed to a hospice facility to visit a patient there. As she approached the facility, a 93-year-old man was sitting on the porch. She greeted him with “How are you doing today?” He responded, "Good -- and I'm working on the pretty!" She remarked that he was a delight and just had to sit down and visit with him a while. They carried on a long conversation and he mentioned “I’d love a hamburger.” She didn’t hesitate to say: “I’ll be right back” and went to get that burger for him. There wasn't a question about whether it was good for him or not -- she knew her attention to him WAS good for him. She came back with the hamburger and a strawberry shake. The dear man had a chair pulled up right next to him for Jodi to sit by him. Jodi said he ate every bite and drank all the shake. She spent over two hours with him. Jodi was beaming as she told me this story. The dear man passed away a few days later.

What makes someone go the extra mile to bring a ray of sunshine into someone's life? Especially when that someone is close to leaving this world anyway. What difference does it make? Here's the difference: Jodi was serving a sweet man that was getting ready to leave this world. I told her she was his midwife -- giving him a sweet, comfortable and beautiful time as he was transitioning to "going home". But, more than the sacrifice of her time for this sweet man, this was about Jodi. She was so grateful for those two hours.

Helping others makes us see what we have.....and makes us even more grateful for it. Helping others makes us happy. There is so much joy in giving. She was grateful. When we help others, it makes us see what we have and makes us more thankful for it. Jodi's acts of kindness are seed planting times. She is already enjoying the harvest of her acts as she experiences such overflowing joy and happiness. “Give….and it shall be given back to you!” Luke 6:38

What difference does it make? Maybe our solution to complacency, boredom, loneliness and sadness is to find some-one or some-place where we can make a difference in someone's life today. It just might be the last act of kindness they will receive, but it will be an act of kindness that will change us FOREVER.

ROAR -- When Life is Wild -- God is Good!

Last year I heard about the exciting and fun-filled times that were had by the kids and the adult and teen volunteers at Vacation Bible School at my church. With all that enthusiasm, I didn’t want to miss out this year so early on, I enlisted! And, I am so glad I did. Today is the third day and, I’ll be honest, I think I'm getting as much out of this week as the kids are. I am on a “Faith Station” team with another adult volunteer and three teen volunteers who make up the narrators, actors and prop crew. There are four other Faith Station teams who also teach individual groups of kindergarteners through 5th grade. So altogether, we work with about 400 kids a day and then pre-school has another group of children.

There are 440 kids, 158 teen volunteers, and 155 adults. The VBS theme is ROAR and we are having a ROAR-ing great time. If you went to VBS as a kid, you’ll probably remember some of the fun, and most importantly, you probably remember the impact of hearing the messages of faith and overcoming life’s challenges. Like me, you were probably left with an indelible imprint of a time when your life-course pointed in the direction of following Christ the rest of your life.

We all have said, at one time or another, “God is good – all the time! All the time – God is good!” The theme of this VBS is built around those words. Some times we mindlessly say those words – but this week, I’m seeing those words go to a whole new level as we declare: “When life is wild – God is good!” And, as we all know – YES, life can get pretty wild! The building is covered in wild African animal prints and cut-outs, waterfalls, grass, skies, sun, and African jungle music is being played and relatable songs are sung with lots of hilarious shenanigan moments.

Monday, our Wild Bible Adventure theme was “When life is unfair – God is good!” It took us back to a time when the Israelites were enslaved by the Egyptians. After 400 years of horrific slavery, Moses was trying to work to make things better for them, but his efforts made Pharaoh really angry! So he punished God’s chosen people even more! It was so unfair! I loved it when a 3rd-grade boy raised his hand and asked "Why didn't they move to America?"

The words, “When life is unfair – God is good”, were repeated through the morning assembly, the faith station, imagination station, music station, and the outdoor station. This is not my VBS from years ago – when flannel board figures were the highlight, as well as kool-aid and cookies. But, even in that “ancient” time, this little girl was impacted so much that here I am wanting to pass along the message. I would say that’s “seed time and harvest” – especially as I see these precious children soaking in the message of the goodness of God.

Yesterday’s theme was “When life is scary – God is good!” This day was about Moses continuing to beg Pharaoh to let God’s people go and each time he refused, another plague fell on the Egyptians. We meticulously, and hilariously led the kids through each of the ten plagues from the river turning into blood, to the last plague of the death of the firstborn Egyptian sons and the remarkable protection over all of the Israelites throughout each plague and the Passover.

This is just a brief overview of our first couple of days of pouring into these precious children the goodness of God in whatever situation they may be in. How’s that for empowering our kids during summer break for the next school year when they’ll come into plenty of opportunities to remember that God is so good no matter what they may face? It's a work-out, no doubt, but the rewards we reap, in the light of eternity, in focused training and disciple role modeling carries on from generation to generation. "We will tell the next generation about the Lord’s power and great deeds and the miraculous things he has done.” (Psalm 78:4)

Weathering the Storm

We’re stoked about the Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon being given by the downtown Scottish Rite Children’s Hospital which includes our North location volunteers. It’s going to be a great way to spend a Saturday with some other volunteers going with me. We are decked out in our 50s and 60s outfits because, after all, a prize is going to the best dressed.

First thing, I see an email from Sally: “It looks like the weather is going to be too bad for us to go to the luncheon.” My optimistic, no-worries, "What’s-a-little-storm-anyway?" reply was: “I don't mind taking my car and driving in the rain (I'm used to it. I'm often on the road to Austin or Tulsa in the rain). And when we get there, we'll be parking in the garage. I'll be happy to pick you girls up and we go for it! Let's be adventurous and live with no regrets!” So the girls were onboard for “dragging Main”, until heading out, opening my garage door and a gust of tornadic winds and rains blew back at me. My granddaughter texted me “Tornado!” I went back in and we canceled our outing.

I remembered this photo of a bird weathering the storm and the words: “Sometimes, you just have to bow your head. Say a prayer, weather the storm and trust that this too shall pass.” Many of us handle the challenges in our lives like that bird. We stand in the rain soaking wet with a smile on our faces in our cute pair of galoshes and say, “I’m dry, really, I’m dry.” I know what that’s like because I’m a “STORM-move-out-of-the-way" kind of girl. I can grin and bear it when the weather channel maps are covered with red and sending warnings to take shelter immediately. There were terrifying tornadoes that took the roof off our barn, our parents lost their home in a tornado, ice storms caused a loss of electricity for days, snow storms kept us homebound for days, hail storms devastated our home's roof, and, now, wind and rain storms kept us from a great luncheon. But, I could grin and bear it through most of them!

But, there were times when the storms of life prevailed in my life that brought hurt, disappointment, fear, concern, and pain, unlike those literal storms. Those storms were slow in passing. Those torrential storms upheaved my comfort and security. Those storms shook me physically, mentally and spiritually. I had to admit that my optimistic, no-worries, "What’s-a-little-storm-anyway?" reply didn't work those times.

But, in the midst of some of my darkest hours, LOVE showed up in the form of family and friends who encouraged me with comforting words, but most comforting that I heard within my heart was God's whisper, “I’m here with you.” I also realized I wasn’t the only one who was soaking wet from the storms. Others began to open up to me. It seemed I wasn’t the only one with a storm in her life. Many of us were drenched from the rain and I found out we all had some type of rain in our lives. We were great, big, beautiful soggy messes, and God loved us all.

Maybe you’re muttering under your breath, “I’m dry, really, I’m dry” but your soaking wet from the storms in your life. It's okay to admit it. When we open our eyes to the Peace-Maker and Storm-Chaser walking on the water to us, we’ll finally be free to discover that LOVE is waiting for us right in the center of our storms. Along with this brave little bird, we remind ourselves "to bow our heads, say a prayer, weather the storm and trust that this too shall pass.” I assure you, I’m proof positive that we can weather any storm when we know God is with us and we are safe, sheltered in His loving and sovereign arms. Forecast for tomorrow? Blue skies, sun shining, calm winds.

We Saw Jesus in the Flesh

Yesterday, we saw Jesus in the flesh. How can that be? Jesus put it this way: “ 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 needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me. Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” Matthew 25:35,40

These photos capture a day of Christmas "love" unlike any other. Last year, I met Susie Jennings, who is the Founder and President of Operation Care. Susie stepped out in faith and obedience to God when she resigned from her nurse supervisory position at Baylor University Medical Center, to become a full time missionary to those in need. She desired to serve God and her community after the tragic death of her husband when she asked God "What do you want me to do for you?" Then she said, "Don't ask God that question, because He will tell you." At that time, Susie didn't like homeless people, but that's where God took her -- right to where most of the homeless live in Dallas. Her first mission was to buy blankets for them. She rallied her friends to help her in November, 1993. The homeless called her, “The Blanket Lady.” That beginning was the start of Operation Care which, for the 15th year, ministers to homeless and impoverished families here and in nations around the world. Her spunk, energy and obvious love for God's "misfits" inspired us so much last year, that we knew we wanted to be a part of the event again this year.

When the call-out came several months ago for volunteers to fill the 76 committees that make this “machine” work for this year’s event, my daughter and son, Staci and Larry, and their children went to see how they could get involved. Little did they realize that when they said “Yes” to do anything for God a few months earlier, that they would say “Yes” to be the Event’s Coordinators this year There are no adequate words to express what that “Yes” has meant in terms of their time, travel, technological support and commitment. Suffice it to say they assumed “full time responsibilities” that changed the course of their lives. I can’t begin to express how proud I was and am for their hearts that are so passionate about seeing the lives of these beautiful people impacted.

Apparently, my sunny disposition qualified me to be with former NFL Football Player for the New England Patriots, Devin Wyman, to welcome all the homeless and homeless veterans that came into the convention center, some of whom were camped out for nearly 14 hours. My elf-ness and my sense of humor and cheer seemed to warm them up on a very cold morning. What a joy it was to reach out my arms to give hugs and handshakes. One time I reached my arms way out and the gentleman threw his arms out sideways. He assumed I was getting ready to frisk him because he’s so used to being frisked going in and coming out of places. Reality check! Oh the stories they could tell!

Dallas Mayor, Mike Rawlings, welcomed us at one of Dallas' Top 10 most highly appreciated and respected events. Nick Vujici, New York Times bestselling author, was the featured speaker for both main stages: the homeless side and the children’s side. Nick, born without arms and legs, inspired the guests and the volunteers with his “nothing is impossible” attitude in overcoming obstacles and achieving dreams. He gratefully attests to God’s grace when he speaks of his beautiful wife and four children under the age of 5. He says “I don’t have arms to reach out to hug my children, but my children arms to reach out and hug me.”

I wish you could have seen the faces of the children receiving toys, playing on the blow up equipment, the zip line, riding the ponies, hearing the “true story of Christmas” from St. Nicholas, having their feet washed and receiving a new pair of shoes and coats. The same is true on the adult side where they too have their feet washed and receive shoes and coats, medical attention and so much more. It is a day packed full of being the hands of feet of Jesus. What a birthday party He puts on for Himself! Unless you can see it with your own eyes, it is unimaginable – mostly, because we are people of so much “plenty”. It’s easy to remark, “What a shame”, and go on our way. But, God shows up with His people and organizations that go the distance in making a difference.

This Christmas season beckons us to have hearts of giving – pitching in a little cash into the Salvation Army kettle, donating coats from our overstocked closets, buying a gift for an Angel Tree child, or volunteering at an organization that does so much for the underprivileged on a daily basis. We can do something. While the recipients experience so much love, GIVERS of that love and compassion are sincerely on the RECEIVING end of so many blessings -- way beyond what we give. Here’s some examples:

1) Our eyes our opened to the blessings we have, and to the "little things" we take for granted and we become more thankful.
2) Our hearts of compassion are opened.
3) The dissatisfied and grumpy attitudes that we have dwindle to softness and appreciation.
4) Blinders fall off our eyes and we see the needs of others far greater than our own needs.
5) We start to re-evaluate spending senseless dollars on gifts for family and friends that we know will be tossed in a corner within just a few minutes or hours of having received them.
6) We start to desire to help support volunteers do what they do.
7) We have unmistakable and contagious joy because we gave.
8) We start to realize WHY we are here on this earth.

God demonstrated how to give when He gave His only Son to us. That's what Christmas is all about. The Reason for this Season. Could it possibly be that God has been waiting on us to live with PURPOSE -- making a difference in the lives of others? Mother Teresa said, "What we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But if that drop was not in the ocean, I think the ocean would be less because of that missing drop,"
"For God so loved the world that He GAVE......." John 3:16