Random Acts of Kindness

[Taylor]

A friend of mine sent me a link to a unique website. It is a place that encourages people, schools, communities to get involved in random acts of kindness. There are stories, discussion boards etc on this website to inspire others to join them in making this world a happier place. Check it out: http://www.actsofkindness.org/

[Taylor]

If you have a story of a random act of kindess that you did or that you observed being done, share it with us. This will inspire us and give us ideas so we can also bring some joy into someone's life.

[Clio]

I will share one that happened to me this past weekend.

As many of you are already aware, my husband has been critically ill for a long period of time, almost two years now. He's been confined to his bed for most of that time, and the normal stuff a guy does around the house has gotten seriously far behind.

Especially in the area of vehicle maintenance.

There is a gentleman at the office, with whom I have been praying and talking to about Jesus, the Sabbath, the second coming, for 4 years. He has prayed with me for Mike for that long, and is completely aware of his health status.

Last Friday, he came by the house, took my car, and left me his suburband to drive for the weekend. He was going to put my car in his garage and let it thaw out over night so we could get the motor compartment vent thawed and the heater would work again.

Sunday afternoon he called me and asked if he could keep the car till Monday night. I asked why, and he kinda song and danced a little, but didn't really tell me. I continued to drive his suburban and Monday night he brought my car back.

While he had it, fixed the power steering fluid leak, he changed the oil, the fuel filter, the oil filter, the belts and the air filter. He also fixed all the little rattles and annoyances that happen that never get fixed if you have to pay someone to fix them. The light in my gear shift indicator works again, my driver's side window goes up and down much easier, ALL the vents, not just the defroster vents on my heater work, the driver's side door lock works again, AND in the middle of winter in Alaska, he found a way to wash my car. When he brought it back, the gas tank was full.

I had no expectation of any of this. We were just hoping to get the ice thawed out enough that with proper care for the rest of the winter I'd have reliable heat in the car.

All the things he did were things Mike would normally have taken care of for me.

My friend told me that as he was walking around the car before bringing it back to me, he said a little prayer and asked Jesus to show him what else needed fixing, because he felt like he'd missed something. On his final walk around, he noticed that my right rear tire only had two lugnuts on it, and one of those was loose. One of the studs on the wheel hub was also broken off. That was why he needed to keep it until Monday. He went and got everything he needed to fix that, and then checked the bearings, greased them, and assessed the brakes while he had the wheel off.

I'm still completely bowled over. I can't tell you (and him) how thankful and grateful I am for his random act of kindness. There's no way I could have paid anyone to do this for me, and my husband certainly hasn't been able to.

The awesome part is when he brought the car back, he talked to Mike. And Mike was able to understand that this was a Jesus moment in time.

Clio

[Nan]

An inspiring story, Clio, thank you, and thank you Taylor for thinking of starting this thread.

[Taylor]

This is the neatest story I have heard in a long time! Clio, how blessed you are!!! I am SOO glad that someone took an interest and was so wonderful to you and helped you in this way! It must have really warmed your heart!!! Thanks so much for sharing!

[Clio]

It really did warm my heart. I'd about given up in this area. But even more importantly, it showed my husband that believers do help one another.

That was something that he's been watching for and watching for. It really opened my eyes to what people observe about Christians.

Clio

[there buster]

Our little church plant makes this a major ministry. We have numerous types of "kindness ministries," from having a Christmas party (we had last weekend) for those who may have no other, to passing out water bottles to marchers, door-to-door small favors, cleaning toilets, raking leaves-- the list is truly endless.

This last year, our little church plant made 20,000 such contacts for Christ.

[Clio]

What great ideas Ed. I think without this kind of vibrant outreach, the status quo becomes acceptable. And failing in this area should never be acceptable.

Clio

[Taylor]

</font><blockquote><font class="small">Quote:</font><hr />

Ed Dickerson said:

Our little church plant makes this a major ministry. We have numerous types of "kindness ministries," from having a Christmas party (we had last weekend) for those who may have no other, to passing out water bottles to marchers, door-to-door small favors, cleaning toilets, raking leaves-- the list is truly endless.

This last year, our little church plant made 20,000 such contacts for Christ.

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That is so neat Ed! I think I would enjoy visiting a church like that! More churches ought to join you in this venture! I am sure you have inspired many with what you are doing.

[Taylor]

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Nan said:

An inspiring story, Clio, thank you, and thank you Taylor for thinking of starting this thread.

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Thanks Nan! I hope lots of people will post their stories. I think such stories inspire others.

[there buster]

Quote:

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More churches ought to join you in this venture! I am sure you have inspired many with what you are doing.

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Sad to say, most churches and pastors don't get it. They want something that will have "results." Or they want to give out tracts or literature--which people actually find threatening, in our experience--instead of what people need and want at the moment.

Just one example: for the last three years, we've given a special Christmas tree ornament, and several dozen cookies, to area police and firefighters. They now look for us and expect our arrival.

We live a simple business card each time.

We give out toys and Christmas stickers to nurses and patients in the hospital. In one children's ward, a child in isolation stood at his door, so we gave his treat to the nurse to give to him. He beamed when she gave it to him. His mother, behind him in his room, was crying. So were most of us.

That family has never shown up in church, so many church members and pastors consider that time "wasted." We don't.

[Clio]

Quote:

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Ed Dickerson said:

Quote:

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More churches ought to join you in this venture! I am sure you have inspired many with what you are doing.

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Sad to say, most churches and pastors don't get it. They want something that will have "results." Or they want to give out tracts or literature--which people actually find threatening, in our experience--instead of what people need and want at the moment.

Just one example: for the last three years, we've given a special Christmas tree ornament, and several dozen cookies, to area police and firefighters. They now look for us and expect our arrival.

We live a simple business card each time.

We give out toys and Christmas stickers to nurses and patients in the hospital. In one children's ward, a child in isolation stood at his door, so we gave his treat to the nurse to give to him. He beamed when she gave it to him. His mother, behind him in his room, was crying. So were most of us.

That family has never shown up in church, so many church members and pastors consider that time "wasted." We don't.

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Ed -

While I don't always agree with you... in this, which is more important than our disagreements, I have to say a hearty AMEN!

We are not called to harvest, only to sow the seeds that result in the harvest. You time is not wasted.

Abba will bless you and your church plant for meeting the needs of the least of these. The family of the little child may not have shown up at church, but the remember. And perhaps that story will be one told over and over in heaven as the catalyst that saved them all.

Clio

[Amelia]

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That family has never shown up in church, so many church members and pastors consider that time "wasted." We don't.

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What matters if the family never came to church? They saw Jesus in action, that matters more. We are His hands. We are His feet. We are His!

[Taylor]

Amen Amelia and I commend you Ed for what your church is doing!

[Taylor]

I want to share an experience. I have really been redicent to share it lest it sound like I am bragging or somehow blowing my own horn. But this experience touched my heart in a way that I almost can't explain. I thought it might touch yours as well.

After posting this thread about random acts of kindness...I decided to try something I haven't done before. I got to thinking about the "forgotten people" in society, those who perhaps others miss. So I took my homemade banana bread which was shaped like miniature loaves and went to my bank in town. The guard there is a good guy, takes his job seriously and stands looking straight ahead most of the time. I often stop and say hello but am ashamed to say I do not know his name.

I walked up to him and perhaps a bit awkwardly said "I brought you some homemade banana bread." He stared at the ground for a while, then at the sky as he tried to think of something to say. He began to ramble about fudge and things at this time of year...I then put my hand on his shoulder and interrupted him saying "I just want you to know that we appreciate what you do. You provide a valuable service to our community and I think you probably don't get the recognition you deserve." Impulsively I gave him a hug. He threw his arm around my shoulders, giving me a hug in return, his face crumpeled up, his eyes filled with tears as he said "You just don't know! Thank you so much!!! I get attention all right, but not always....." his voice choked off. "What, not always the right kind of attention?" I asked. "Are people unkind?" "Well maybe I make them kinda uncomfortable, I really don't know. But they often say to me "What are you looking at!" as they come in. "For Pete's sake where am I supposed to look? It is my job to stand out here. I have to notice things, I don't try to make people uncomfortable.......you just don't know....thank you SOOOO much! Can I share this with some of my friends too?" By this time tears were welling up in my own eyes and threatening to escape. I found I had lost my voice so I just nodded as he bolted for the door of the bank.

I then decided to give some more banana bread to clerks in stores that I frequent. Their response was much the same, first disbelief, then smiles and hugs, sometimes tears in their eyes.

It made me realize how much for granted I have taken such people. They are just as valuable any another member of society but are too often overlooked. I don't want to ever overlook them again.....