Saturday, August 20, 2016

It's the thought that counts

"Mints make you cry?" my sister asked me when I sat down after the elevator descent from our mom's hospital room.

I knew my dad had gone to the "dutch" store earlier that day. I didn't think about or know why. When we got to mom's hospital room, he handed me a brown paper bag. Inside was a large container of individually wrapped peppermints. The good ones. He told me when I opened the bag, "You said you don't like the pink ones." I don't.

Peppermints have played a supporting role in my life looking back. From the peppermints we used to get from grandpa V.W. when we would visit in the nursing home to the peppermints we would use in church to pretend we (kids) were getting communion too, peppermints have been a comfort. They also freshen the breath when I am in TOO much of a hurry heading out the door. ;)

It wasn't the mints that made me cry. It was the fact that my dad went out of the way to get me something I like. Something I would not have gotten for myself. It was a day when I really needed a reminder that I was being thought of.

My point of this post is that if you have that little nudging of a feeling to do something nice for somebody else? Do it....even if it doesn't make sense to you. We get those nudgings for a reason. YOU may be the answer to somebody else's prayer....maybe one they haven't even put words to yet! The "something" does not have to cost $$. Maybe it's an encouraging note, phone call or text. Encouragement has a great ripple effect. Try it!

My "dutch girl" mints THANKS dad!

Philippians 2"1-4 (NIV)Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit,if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

1 Thessalonians 5:1 (NIV)
Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.