The Best of the PhxP
Once a week we’ll feature articles from the past and from our books…
It’s been hot… so I’m used to hearing the back door of my truck open and close repeatedly.
I heard it close again and knew it was probably time to get up and put some more water bottles in the ice chest.
What I saw instead of a thirsty skater was an elderly woman holding a bottle of our water on the back of her neck. She looked afraid… and ready to pass out.
“They said it was free…”
“It is.”
Seems she had walked to the store and had underestimated both the distance and the temperature… and asked the kids where they got their water when she was shuffling by. I gave her my chair and she revived enough to finish her little journey… thankful to God for giving her some unexpected refreshment.
When I got home Miss Kitty was waiting… for dinner.
I fed her and sat down at the computer and the cat jumped into my lap. A different cat. A cat I had never seen before. Ever. She was a very thin cat with a squeak where a meow should be and I understand cat and squeak well enough to know she was hungry. I fed her… then she hopped on my bed, took a bath, and then went back to wherever she came from in the first place. An hour later two other cats were sitting outside my door… and the squeaky lap cat strolled past them into her new home that I didn’t know I had invited her to live in. I fed all three… and pondered how cats network.
My conclusion from these events is this…if one will open their hearts to meet a need, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem… God will use that opening to bless far more people (or cats or dogs or badgers) than you expected, far more than you expected them to be blessed.
If you don’t, He won’t.
As always, you can make your own application.
It’s Halloween here at school today, which means it’s crazy-especially because it’s the first Halloween in two years. Homeroom teachers sponsor a party. I don’t have a homeroom,but I did have bingo boards and little prize bags ready to go for bingo in class today, except the kids were much happier watching Halloween cartoons. So, I was planning to put the stuff away until next year, but I bumped into my co-teacher after lunch who was trying to put together a bingo and prizes for her homeroom (she hadn’t been told about all the stuff she needed). I took her to my room, presented her with my unused stuff, and she’s happy! I’m happy because I’ve been looking for more ways to connect with people. God is good!
Linn,
You made an excellent application…
So glad to see excerpts from the books you’ve written, Michael!
Over the years i have often thought that caring for animals cam give us much good instruction.
When my grandfather had animals (horses & cows) he never sat down to eat a meal until he’d been to the barn to take care of the livestock. A strong Christian, he believed that was what God expected of an animal caretsker.
I think your grandfather had it right…
The best stories should always be repeated so that we don’t forget them. Thanks for bringing this one back. So much to apply: being available, helping those in need, being a witness through our actions as well as our words…
Good stuff here.
God stuff.
Thanks for sharing this, Michael- a wonderful blast from the past and like Eric L. said…God stuff.
Encouraging!
So sweet…. life teaches us so much, if we have ‘ears’ to hear….
Paige, yes and amen, by God’s grace and The Holy Spirit. 🙏