Today at church are speakers were Jacqueline Pendleton and Karsten Taylor. They are both young people in our ward who have recently returned from serving missions in very different places. Jackie served in Finland and Karsten served in Little Rock, Arkansas. I decided to write letters to some of the missionaries currently serving from our ward. I wanted to let them know how much I appreciate their willingness to serve and their desire to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with others. I am sure I will come to appreciate their service more as Rick and I begin serving our mission in June.
Category: The Birthday Project (Page 3 of 4)
My friend Becky had knee replacement surgery recently and I have had such a busy month that I haven’t taken time to call or visit. I have been prompted to check on her, but the demands of each day took over and I would forget. Today, I deliberately stopped what I was doing and called to chat with her for awhile. I don’t like counting things I should be doing or always do as part of The Birthday Project, however, today I made a deliberate choice to stop procrastinating and do something.
On Sunday, we had a special musical program celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. I was so touched by the beautiful presentations that I finally took time to write thank you notes to some of the participants. I am so grateful for people who have musical talents and their willingness to share them.
Wow! It is so easy to get caught up in spending time with family, cooking and cleaning. Â I am spending time serving and doing good, but nothing that I don’t ordinarily do so I don’t want to count it. Can I count staying up until 12:30am washing towels so my son’s family would have clean towels the next day? Not something I do everyday…not something I had to do…something I deliberately chose to do. Yes, I’ll count it!
Today I took some of my children and grandchildren to a small nursing facility to sing Christmas carols. Pam Jackson, a friend from church lives there and I heard that they were looking for groups who would want to come and carol. Pam was living in Humble, TX when we first moved there in 1978. It was a great experience and I stopped to visit with Pam for awhile. It touched me so much when she told me how concerned she had been about me and my cancer. She told me how she had written me a card and and couldn’t find my address, so she ended up tearing it up. I plan to go visit Pam on a regular basis. Singing and seeing the reaction of the residents to our little ones made me smile.
Today the act of kindness planned was changed. I had an opportunity to spend some quality time with two of my granddaughters. We went shopping for my gift to one of them, a leotard for gymnastics that she needed to try on. Then the other granddaughter wanted to shop for a gift for her younger sister. She is a very generous girl. I also took them to lunch at Wendy’s not planned but very much a good thing to do.
One of my friends has a sweet daughter serving a mission for our church in California. My friend sends me a weekly update from her daughter so I get to hear how she is growing and about all the good things she is doing. Today I sent her a little Christmas gift. It made me smile!
Not long after we moved to this neighborhood last year I became aware of “The Friendly Guys.” They live down the street from me. They walk every morning for 6 or more miles. I see them everywhere and often. They are two of the most friendly guys I’ve ever met. They greet everyone…and with more than just a “hi.” They are just so chipper.
After I finished my last chemo treatment I started walking in the neighborhood again. I passed while one of the guys was working in his yard. We greeted each other and I continued on my way. He called after me and asked why he hadn’t seen me for a long time. I explained about the cancer and that I had recently I had been doing my walking in the air conditioned comfort of the Kingwood Medical Center. I told him I was glad to be back outside. He explained that he was a cancer survivor. He was positive and encouraging, telling me I’d be fine and to keep walking.
Today I dropped off a Christmas card with a Panera gift card inside. I thanked them for being so friendly and encouraged them to go out to lunch together. I had a big smile on my face as I hurried away from his mailbox!
A few days ago I received an email explaining that a family at my church needed dinner brought in for awhile. The father recently had surgery to have a kidney removed. A friend had set up an online calendar, but she recently had surgery and now my friend Emily is going to coordinate the meals. Then on Sunday an announcement was made requesting help for them.
Here is my thought process…I am tired…Time is running out and I have so much to get done…I don’t know them…Maybe I can sign up in January when things settle down…Someone else will do it. I am not proud of that thought process. I am always willing to serve when it’s convenient. However, the nature of my life is such that it’s not usually convenient. People usually don’t need help when I have free time.
Rick forward me the email this morning with his comment, “Something we can do!” I opened the online meal calendar and noticed that no one was taking a meal tonight. Someone else was not doing it! I quickly repented and signed up. I just dropped off the meal to their very pleasant and grateful teenaged son. I smiled all the way home.
This birthday project is doing my soul good!
I love children’s books. Every year I buy a new Christmas picture book for each of my children and their families. Some of them read a Christmas different book each night leading up to Christmas.
Today for my deliberate act of kindness I decided to give that same book to a wonderful young family I know. Their little boy opened the door and I handed him the gift and he ran to his dad, “It’s a present!” As I was leaving he came running out to tell me thank-you. I smiled all they way home.