Serve by Design

I have had some unexpected blessings this week! It’s had me thinking, “I wonder if these people have been listening to my pastor’s messages?” Just this past Sunday, Pastor Roger was encouraging the congregation to identify a person or group that we could bless this week. Then, he asked us to get specific with a plan of how to bless them with our time, expressions of comfort or encouragement, or in some monetary way. A Welcoming Spirit! image credit: vecteezy.com My blessings started when a young adult lady insisted that she hold the door open for me to enter the coffee shop. I am usually accustomed to holding doors for others! I was delighted later when this same young lady helped me interpret what the barista was saying about my order. A day later, a second blessing involved Ms. Lori, the lady in charge of the laundromat. She grabbed my comforter and large blanket from the oversized dryers and insisted that she do the folding! And a final blessing was given by Bob, a casual friend, ...

We are celebrating our family role-model, hero, and teaching superstar! Yesterday, the Sherman-Williamsville cusd#15 formally expressed their appreciation to Monique. She has officially retired for the second time! The first was in 2013 after devoting 21 years to teaching at Sherman Elementary School. The second retirement occurred this fall as she wrapped up 12 years of substituting at the same school! Superintendent Tip Reedy assisted by Jenny Brennan, Taylor Payne, and others from the office staff formally recognized Monique’s years of service with a special thank-you note and gift bag at the district office in Williamsville. It was an opportunity to express appreciation and to take a picture of the event that was later posted on the school’s Facebook page. Monique was blessed by all the attention and especially all those who “liked” the post and/or made a comment! Teachers are a combination of natural aptitude and training. Monique has felt her calling to teach since the early ch...

A rolling stop is not a stop at all! Did you hear about the man who was driving home and was stopped by a county deputy police officer? It was a rural community with little traffic. The officer informed him that he had not come to a complete stop and then gave him a ticket for the violation. The man asked, “Don’t I get a warning?” The officer curtly replied, “Sure, here’s your warning: If you don’t come to a complete stop the next time, I will give you another ticket!” Image credit: istock.com Years ago, as a teenage driver, I had the embarrassing experience of being pulled over for a rolling violation. I was heading out to the local A&W Root Beer restaurant with a carload of church friends on a Wednesday night. We had just had a youth Bible study when a county deputy sheriff stopped me. I am from a small town where traffic on the main street is always light. The way it was configured, the stop sign was located about twenty feet back from the intersection. You were supposed to st...

It was only two days away from Halloween and the local grocery store already had a display featuring a row of one of the Christmas time favorites – “Premium Fruit Cake!” Yes, this one was extra special and premium! Why is it that bakers feel like they must add additional adjectives to describe their holiday cakes? Your Old Favorite! Not Mine!! Let’s be more realistic and say, “Here it is again… your old favorite, making its annual trek around the world to your table!” There are a good many of us who believe that there is only one fruitcake that’s being passed around and re-gifted during Christmas season to unsuspecting fruit cake-loving folks! I have a brother-in-law who will, like me, eat almost anything. He says, “I can even eat hominy, but I don’t prefer it!” That’s the way I am about fruitcake. I can eat it, but why?! I’d rather eat a pecan pie or some good creamy fudge or homemade pecan brittle during the holidays! I recently attended a Bible retreat with some pastor friends...