I love adding images to my blog. Today’s message is especially important for me. It’s so easy to backslide into distraction, perfection, or negativity instead of choosing loving and showing it through purposeful thoughts and actions. I took the time to visit www.handsfreemama.com. What a lovely site. Truly worthy of a visit.
Although opportunities to share love are all around us, the actual art of spreading love takes intent and focus. Last week, I volunteered to collect food for our community outreach. The truth of the matter is that this outreach comes almost exclusively from our church. From the sorting, storage, packing, distributions, the volunteers are our members. The church is our home base. But, that information can’t be share, lest those on the “unloving side of life” might get their feathers ruffled.
Persecution of Christians is alive and well. Trust that little fact. It’s getting worse every day. One unhappy hen can cause the rest to stop laying. There were some community members that didn’t like the thought of the “Who’s of Who-ville” spreading love and good will. Although the hen house was upset for a little while, feathers were eventually smoothed and the collection drive went on in spite of the drama.
On another day, one unhappy cluck-er got really upset because shopping carts were borrowed to transport the donated food on mile to the west. Really???? I can’t think of a more trustworthy group than a bunch of elderly church members collecting food for the poor. With a trailer, the baskets made it much easier to transport the donations. What kind of store manager would find a problem with that? The one that runs the store I don’t shop at because it is so poorly run. That one.
Drama is a choice, as well. At handsfreemama.com, Rachel talked about a “5 Second Rule”. Don’t share a negative opinion about something that takes more than 5 seconds to fix. Sharing these negative opinions can do lifelong damage if it involves weight, hair styles, or other physical attributes. Decisions made in haste can derail a perfectly wonderful Thanksgiving food drive. Now, wouldn’t that be a great rule for grumpy store managers? One raging complaint a lot more than 5 seconds to fix while emptying baskets and making up barrels on rolling dollies to handle the donations.
Drama can suck the love right out of the best situations. Working the food drive was such a positive and lovely thing to do. I only saw a handful of familiar faces, but the strangers that donated were beautiful in every way. From those that donated a single can to the person that snuck a $100 bill into our jar, they all made my volunteer shift magical.
Someone commented that this year’s collection was smaller than last year. Someone else was discussing the fact that no one has offered to donate turkeys. Yet another person worried about the number of volunteers that haven’t signed up to help with distribution. In the end, love will cover every need of this endeavor and the families that need food for Thanksgiving will enjoy a lovely dinner.
Last week, one man was walking into Walmart when I asked if he would like to help.
“Heck, I’m the one that needs help.”
I was so glad the name of our church was on the front of the flyer. If you are finding your dollars have shrunk to nothing while store brand turkeys are at $1.88 lb. or more, remember your local churches. Our church is hosting a home cooked meal on Thanksgiving Day for anyone that is alone. I would venture to guess that the grumps that rained on our parade aren’t into helping those in need to enjoy a warm meal on Thanksgiving. I’m so blessed to be surrounded by those that get great happiness in choosing love every day, even when it’s not the most convenient.
To show love is a decision. It’s not a magical thing that overtakes people. True love takes some effort. Sometimes a decision to show love can be difficult. Those are the times love is the most intense and beautiful. When done right, there is nothing more brilliant than acts of love. Love truly does make the world go around.
Today, take a moment to look at handsfreemama.com. There is a place to click on her blog and see what she has to say about life. What a lovely woman. Truly.
More tomorrow.