Little Actions Can Result in Big Blessings

Opportunities Abound Be a Blessing!

A couple of days ago I had an important appointment. Even though I wasn't sure how to get to the place where the meeting was to happen, I arrived on time, early, actually. I was dressed OK. I thought things went well. When I finished I called Kathy to give her a verbal "thumb-up," and see if she wanted me to pick up anything on the way home (A man's got to earn his points when he can.). It was then that disaster, or at least potential disaster struck. I reached in my left pocket and my keys weren't there. I patted my other pockets, looked in my arm-full of stuff I was carrying, and they weren't there. I went back to the place where I had had my meeting, and they weren't there. The receptionist said she hadn't seen any.  Sinking feeling. Calculation as to how much trouble and expense would be involved making new keys. Wondering if there were any identifying marks on the key-ring that would lead to compromised security. Sinking feeling is intensified. I called Kathy. It took an hour out of her day to bring me another key. That gurgling sound is the sound of my point total going down the drain. My one hope was that when she arrived with the other car key, I'd find that I had locked my keys in the car, and all would be well. Alas, even after I checked under seats and floor mats, I didn't find the lost keys. I went back to the receptionist and gave her my card with a request to "call me if . . ." I once more back-tracked where I had walked, and was about ready to give up, when I remembered a couple of guys had been working on some building project in the corner of the parking garage. I hadn't walked particularly close to where they were, so I hadn't thought of asking them earlier, but in desperation I thought I'd give it a shot. As I approached them the guy who appeared to be in charge read the question on my face. Before I even asked, he pointed to my keys hanging on a faucet handle. I soon confirmed that yes those were my keys. When I went over to thank the guy he told me that he had spotted the keys on the pavement and asked his trainee to pick them up and put them where they might be seen. It would have been very easy for those two guys to have said, "Oh, just leave them alone." or even, "Serves the person right, they should be more careful with their keys." Obviously, though, they had better thoughts than that, and I'm blessed because of it.   “Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.” (Matthew7:12, NLT) I'm sure glad those guys were thinking along those lines. I need to think of ways that I can apply Jesus' words and be a blessing to others, maybe even someone I've never even met. It's STTA (Something To Think About).

Passing Blessings On

Something to Think About Passing Blessings Along:

My wife reminded me that I needed to send a thank you note to a friend who had gone above and beyond in reaching out to us with kindness.  I did.  My friend wrote back and characterized what he had done as extending "the blessings God provided us." My friend spoke with a humility that is typical of him.  One is blessed so that they will be able to bless others.  Clearly that is what we ought to do. Another friend of mine regularly reminds me of the benefits of recycling.  Later today I'll check on some used lumber that I hope will work for a project I'm building.  Other friends of mine enjoy old cars, old furniture, and other objects that worth preserving, restoring, and passing on.  Blessings shouldn't stop; they should be used again and again.  Our lives should be channels, not reservoirs.  To use a term that Hollywood made famous a few years ago, we should "pay it forward." I hope you'll join me in looking for opportunities to follow my friend's example and extend the blessings. It’s STTA. Read here to find out about the greatest blessing.