Archive | May 2014

sundae blessings

May30

Sundae Blessings

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no greater commandment than these. Mark 12: 30 – 31

While waiting for our lunch at Dairy Queen one Saturday I noticed a woman at a nearby table smiling as she watched my 21 year old son who was happily chattering as he flipped through the page of his new coloring book. This is nothing new, we are used to people looking at us in public. Not many grown boys carry coloring books around with them but books are a comfort and a joy to my son so he is rarely without one. After the food arrived we bowed for a quick prayer and as I looked up I saw this lady smile just a little wider. I un-wrapped my son’s sandwich, dumped his fries from the bag onto his tray and got up to get some ketchup. As I was pumping ketchup into one of those little paper cup this same woman approached me. She said, “Excuse me, I hope you don’t think this is odd but I have been watching your son and I would like to give him a sundae”. My first reaction was to say, “No thank you” and sit back down. There were at least three reasons to say no: 1. I had my own money 2. Michael doesn’t even really like sundaes, and 3. I felt kind of guilty taking from a stranger. However, when I started to explain that my son did not usually eat Sundaes I saw disappointment on her face. I felt the Lord nudge me to accept her offer so I told her she could ask him if he’d like a sundae. I was surprised that Michael did not utter “Move Back” or “Go Home” for these are comments he typically uses when strangers approach him. Instead he answered, “Red” when the lady asked him what kind of sundae he liked best. She smiled and said, “That settles it, I’ll go order him a sundae”. A few minutes later she came to our table with a strawberry sundae complete with two spoons. Michael said “Thank You Lady” with a big smile on his face. I also thanked her for her kindness as she departed. I did not get the name of this giving stranger and will probably not see her again but her kind gesture really touched my heart. I am glad I did not turn down her offer of a sundae because I feel it blessed her as well as us.

Lord I thank you for the blessings you bring to our lives. Help us to “see” those around us and be willing to love in words and deeds. May we be quick to share what we have and may we be gracious and willing to accept when others go out of their way to share with us. Help us to be a blessing and help us to accept a blessing knowing that in both we can be a witness as we show the love of God in our corner of the world. Amen

Devotional and photo by Marge McCoy

a soldier’s prayer

May25

soldier

A SOLDIER’S PRAYER
I know you’re tired,
I know you’re worn, I know you’re torn
You’re losing all your hope
‘Cause you’re a long way from home
Oh, I know you’re worried
I know you’re scared.
I’d like to put my arms around you
And tell you I care.

Hope is in Heaven, not far away
Just close your eyes, he hears what you say.
Feel him around you, He’s everywhere
Reachin’ to touch you, Know that he is there.
Deep in the heart of a war,
He hears a Soldier’s Prayer.

Ask and he’ll protect you, guide where you go.
Keep you from evil that tears at your soul
Oh,speak to the Father,say what’s on your mind
It just takes a moment,if you’ll take the time

Hope is in Heaven, not far away
Just close your eyes, he hears what you say.
Feel him around you, He’s everywhere
Reachin’ to touch you, Know that he’s there.
Deep in the heart of a war,
He hears a Soldier’s Prayer.

Let’s pray for hope,Let’s pray for peace
I pray for you and you pray for me
I’ll pray for heaven to hear what you say
All of God’s children will find out one day
Deep in the heart of a war
God heard a Soldier’s Prayer.

Collin Raye – A Soldier’s Prayer Lyrics
Photo by Ruth Diane Handley Domigan