One of my friends at work sent me a very cute and funny email that made me laugh today. Another friend at work asked me how she could pray for me...and was passing out cookies! Now how much sweeter can you be? I needed those things today. What a great bunch of ladies.
I have been thinking a lot about how I can show appreciation to those who I come across who may feel unappreciated...and today I did something about it. For some really strange reason I may never know, I have had a burden on my heart for the cleaning man/woman who comes in after hours and empties all the trash cans in the office. We have a LOT of offices, and a kitchenette...and LOTS of trash daily. One person comes in each night and cleans our offices and makes sure that we walk into a nice clean place every day. I have never met this person....and I am quite sure that, by nature of the job, they feel unappreciated at times...unrecognized. That makes me feel bad. I appreciate coming into a clean office every day...so I decided to write a note and tape it to my trash can and leave it for him or her to find tonight. I told them that I appreciate the work they do and told them I felt like I really needed to tell them that. Weird maybe...but I have learned to follow the voice that prods me to do things...because when I haven't listened to that inner voice, I have missed out on things that God has wanted me to do...and it's not for His benefit...He has plenty of other people to ask to do the same things...it's for my benefit...because somehow it will help me grow, or bless me, or both.
Tonight Isaac and I took Maddie to youth group, and the plan was to go to dinner afterward...just the two of us. On the way to drop Maddie off, we all saw a young woman walking along the side of the road...maybe 7 or 8 months pregnant...holding the hand of a tiny little girl. It wasn't bad weather for walking, but the area isn't that good around there...and she was a pretty young lady, with a small child, and she was pregnant...my heart went out to her. After we dropped Maddie off, we passed this young woman again. As I was passing her, I just heard that inner voice telling me to offer her a ride. So I told Isaac I was going to turn around. We did...he rolled down his window, and we asked her if she wanted a ride. She helped her daughter into the car and we pulled back into the church parking lot so I could buckle her daughter into Axton's car seat. The woman's name is Jamie. She is 7 months pregnant...with her 3rd child. She was on her way from the day care that she works at (this little 2 year old girl attends the daycare there) to the daycare down the street where her 13 month old son goes...until he is 18 months old and the other daycare will take him...and then to their home. She said she normally wakes the kids up at 5am, gets them ready for the day, and takes the bus or walks to drop her son off, then heads to work with her daughter at the daycare down the road. I am not kidding you when I tell you this is a good 3 mile walk one way...with a toddler and an infant...and soon to be another infant. But she is a single mom with no help. So she has to do this to make a living and provide for her kids. She was so laid back and calm and matter of fact....like this is just her life...and she seemed okay with it, and happy even. As I dropped them off at her apartment and helped her daughter out of the car seat, I told her she was welcome to come to our church if she needed a church home. I gave her a church business card and my personal business card and told her she could call or text me and let me know if she wanted to come and I would give her more information. She said church is her thing and she would try to make it a point to come...even if she had to take the bus. I left there feeling convicted that I feel like I have it rough sometimes...with 3 kids, being a single mom, working a fulltime job, taking care of a household alone....and then I see this young lady who has it so much more difficult and who is just content to live her life and provide for her kids and didn't complain. I was humbled beyond words. I sought to be a blessing to someone else and I was blessed.
Isaac and I went on our date night to the Greek Star Restaurant in Pickerington. We both love their Greek fries, chicken gyros and chicken gyro salad...even though we don't agree on how to pronounce "gyro". :) When we got their, our friend George was there playing romantic guitar music. It was so nice to see him there and so nice to just sit and have an awesome conversation with one of my favorite people in the world with George's music in the background. Isaac told me all about what he is learning about Greek mythology and Greek history in school...that was cool...and kind of a coincidence (if you believe in that kind of thing :)). He is such a cool kid with such diverse interests. And such a polite and friendly guy. I am so blessed.
Thank you, Lord. Today was a bit of a mixed bag. But I am thankful for it all. Tomorrow is a new day...surprise me, God.
No comments:
Post a Comment