Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Acts of Kindness Update

I wish I could say I am on number 37, but I'm on number 6. In case you are thinking that I am a mean, horrible person that I've only done 5 kind things since February, I'm not. :)  I've done kind things like hold open the door for the Budweiser delivery man at Circle K and return my neighbors' garbage can that had been blown into the middle of the street.  But I'm not counting those...I'm trying to think of kind acts that cause me to go out of my way and in some way cost me something - time or money or effort. And friends, I am stumped!  I see a homeless man living in his car off I-70 on Sunday mornings.  At least, I think it's a man.  I don't know for sure.  Every Sunday morning, I see his car parked away from everyone else's, stuffed to the max, with jugs for collecting water on top.  Every Sunday morning, I feel guilt.  Jesus may be present at my place of worship, but I really think he's back in the commuter parking lot sitting next to that white car looking at me and waiting for me to do something.  My problem is I don't know what that something is.  Offer to get him a hotel room for the night?  (A shower would be on my wish list if I was him.)  Offer him some breakfast? A gift card to QT?  Then the worry kicks in.  What if I insult him with whatever I choose?  What if he buys beer instead of gas at QT?  What if he's a crazy man and freaks my kids out when we make the delivery?  Then I decide not to think about any negative effects of my act of kindness and trust it will be received in the manner it was given.  I'm still stuck on what that act of kindness should be though.  
I'm trying not to get discouraged with this crazy idea.  I get so wrapped up in my family's life that I forget to look for someone who needs kindness.  I get stuck with my vision looking in instead of out.  But I'm trying, and if you think of something or you need kindness yourself, speak up. I'm listening!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

If you give a cup of water in my name, you have done it unto me.