A Mother’s Flowers
I read this story from Readers Digest recently:
When the supermarket clerk tallied up my groceries, it was $12 over what I had on me. I began to remove items from the bags when another shopper handed me a $20 bill. “Please don’t put yourself out,” I told him. “Let me tell you a story,” he said. “My mother is in the hospital with cancer. I visit her every day and bring her flowers. I went this morning, and she got mad at me for spending my money on more flowers. She demanded that I do something else with that money. So, here, please accept this. It is my mother’s flowers.”
Leslie Wagner, Peel, Arkansas, Readers Digest “30 Stories About the Touching Kindness of Strangers That’ll Make You Tear Up”
Today, my wife is letting me use her car to take my daughter on a promised shopping trip to Charlotte, NC (as part of my daughter’s birthday celebration). My father in law, Larry Fowler, is going to help us out by picking up Mandee from work and bringing her home (probably a solid 1.5 hours out of the way for him). My parents, Jean and Jim Ballinger, are in Myrtle Beach, SC (about 4 hours from us) and have been working with Carmax there last night and today to test drive and help us purchase a replacement vehicle for my stolen truck — which my mom is going to drive to us when everything is finalized. I’ve had several friends at work (John Cooper, John Robitaille, Austin Bruce) encourage me by driving me to and buying me lunch while we’re dealing with this. And I’ve had so many friends that we see at work (Jim Blaine, Traci Hill, Jennifer Mason, Brianna Smith, Tricia Brown, Travis Bowers, Donnie Williams, Ken Marler, Jessica Bonds, Julie Coates, +more) , at church (Andrew Smith, Austin Barnett, +more), online (Tom & Christy Pierce, Susan Cope, Dakota Milton, Michael Mcleymore, Matt Elder, Hillary Brackins Anderson, Eddie Pat Glance, Jay Horton, Allison Uhler, Daniel Hutchins, +more) etc. that have been especially encouraging and helpful through this whole process.
Sometimes, it is easy to overlook the many small kindnesses around us. But when we are able to slow down and recognize them, it sure is inspiring. It makes me want to look for opportunities to do the same thing for others! And when I look at how kind and loving the Lord has been (and continues to be) towards me and my family, it inspires me to see more clearly the many ways He shows us love — through them and through the precious Blood of the Lamb.
Maybe today I will get to carry that gift of love and deliver it to others? I really hope that I won’t miss an opportunity to show kindness! We never know when our small act of kindness is part of the story that keeps someone else’s heart warmed against some of the harsh and cold realities of this life’s challenges.
Someone might look at me writing stories regularly about Jesus, love and hope — and mistakenly believe that it is natural, or easy for me to remain hopeful, to not hurt, to not doubt, or to be positive — but I’ve dealt with deep depression, suicide attempts, hopelessness and overwhelming anxiety and grief too. But I can truly say that I was blind to see the loving kindness that was around me, and I was only looking into the darkness. I have turned and gone another way (towards the light), and I see your kindness now — and I want to be that kindness now.
Thank you each for your loving kindness towards me, and towards whoever you’ll encounter today. Thank you Jesus for revealing your love powerfully like light breaking through the darkness. Amen.
John 13:35 ESV
[35] By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
Harold J. Ballinger 