Sunday, instead of going to church, we went over to our neighbors house (along with a few other of our neighbors...what awesome souls they are!!) and helped clean up several fallen trees in our neighbor's yard. If you have ever had a tree cut down by a tree service, you know that they charge hundreds of dollars to come out. Well, I don't know about you, but we don't have hundreds of nothing just lying around...except maybe bills and fire ants!
Anyway, not trying to brag or anything but when we got those trees cut up and burned...her backyard was a vision! She was so proud and so grateful! She of course said that she would do anything in the world for all of us to repay us...but the truth is...there is no debt to be paid!
Well, after me telling a certain person that I may be married to...who will go nameless in THIS BLOG....that we were going to be doing this clearing on Sunday...this person said that it sounded too much like WORKING on Sunday..and we aren't supposed to WORK ON SUNDAY!! Protest as this person may...this person had to get the chainsaw and GET TO WORK!!! So I told Lila to repeat what she said to me to this person...that might be related to her and resemble her very own dad...AND THIS IS WHAT SHE SAID (Remember please that she is 7):
Daddy, its ok that we aren't going to church today to learn about God...we are going to go help someone and do what God really wants us to do...by helping others!
And what can a person say against that? God does not live within the four walls of the church. He tells us to "Love our neighbor." And unfortunately Sunday was the only day that all of us could get together to help out.
Does this mean that every Sunday we will do this...no. But since Pete and I can't help people financially or fix their cars for them or file their taxes for them...whatever...this is what we CAN DO. We had the time, the chainsaws and the physical strength to do it. Unfortunately for our neighbor, she wasn't physically able to handle this type of job and didn't have the tools to do it.
I'm so glad that we got to help out. I find tasks like this to be very gratifying. I know that this "good deed" isn't going to move me up a few notches en route to Heaven. I relish in the thought that I don't have to do good deeds to get to Heaven, Jesus has already paid the price for me to get in! But I do feel so good helping others, loving others and being able to SEE the fruits of our labor!
You know, I always have really appreciated random acts of kindness. Our neighbor never asked us to help her...we volunteered! We called and told her that we were going to and she accepted! :) We knew she had a need. I would love to challenge anyone that if you know of a need and it's within your means or capability....just do it! There is nothing more personally rewarding! And I know that's selfish thinking...but it just tickles me to death to think that we were able to lessen her burden!! Would we not want someone to come along and help us carry our burdens, randomly without having to ask? or beg?
Hold a door for someone, pay a tab or bill, pick up dropped papers, cut someone's grass, offer to walk a person's dog, cook a meal, paint a picture or just stop by and say hi....random acts of kindness can change a person's outlook on their day or on their whole life. I have heard stories of people, teetering on the edge of life...planning to take their life...and some person shows them just a bit of kindness and the hopeless person sees that their life is worth living and that they are worth being here on this Earth!
Pay it forward please!
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