When It Is Least Expected

About 1 yr ago my wife and I had an experience that changed they way we view service.  We were returning home from work on a rainy day.  It was a normal day for both of us.  We would get off work and pick up our son from daycare on our way home.  We came home to find an envelope stuck to the door.  Neither one of us thought anything about it.  We would always receive mail either at the door or from upstairs.  We assumed it was an announcement from our neighborhood about an activity that would be coming up soon.  A little later on I sat down and opened it.  I looked inside and did not find an announcement.  To my surprise it was a large sum of money.  I looked on the outside of the envelope to see if there was any indication of who it might be from.  The only name on it was our last name.  There was nothing inside the envelope either.  I took the envelope to Kara who looked at me and was as surprised as I was.  We made a few phone calls to see if they knew anything about the envelope but no one seemed to know (or want to admit knowledge) of the envelope.
As Kara and I sat and thought back and forth who may have been so generous we were amazed at the fact that someone had obviously been thinking of us.  What amazed us the most was that it came at a time when Kara and I least expected it.  This family or individual has taught us that service is so centered around giving of yourself to others when they least expect it.  We still have the envelope. It is a daily reminder to us that service to others when they least expect it leaves a lasting impression on the heart.  It is a reminder that others are always watching even when you don't think they are.
I think we all have it in us to be like this family or individual.  It should help us remember that relationships, and the way we treat others really makes a difference.  Service is a reminder to us that we should truly care about the response that others give us when we ask how they are doing so later on we can provide that service when they least expect it.
Doing good is a joy beyond measure especially when it is least expected!

Time and Talents

I have been thinking lately about what I do with my time during the day, and how I manage that time for good.  A very good friend of mine once asked that I get out a piece of paper and write down all the things that I had done that day from the time I woke up till the time I went to bed.  He gave me one minute.
I wrote down as many things as I could remember that I had done that day.  I had a pretty good list and was proud of myself for all I could remember I had done.
Then came the lesson......He then asked me to turn over the page and asked me to write down all the things that I had accomplished that day.  He gave me one minute. I sat there and was dumbfounded.  I could not come up with one thing I had ultimately accomplished for that day.  That lesson has proved to be a motivator to me to always try and accomplish rather than just do.  I fall well short of this daily but at least it keeps me on track to never lose sight of having and making goals for myself.  At the beginning of this year I made the goal to serve others more often.  I want to accomplish that goal as much as I can.  


God has given each of us talents and hopes that we use those talents to accomplish good for others.  This year is a good year for all of us to commit to ourselves that we will value our time and our God given talents.  As we do this we will realize what strengths we possess and how we can best put them to use in accomplishing lots of good for many people.   

When No One Is Watching

As it turns out the best time for each of us to do something good for someone else is when no one is watching.  It has been my experience that when someone has helped me, and I have neither known who it was nor why they decided to help I have appreciated it even more.  Those moments have made me realize that individuals who do not seek attention or praise for their kind acts of service truly understand the meaning of selflessness.

Too often in the world in which we live are people who need praise, awards, or some kind of recognition for what they have accomplished.  This is not a bad thing to desire and of course we all deserve recognition for the hard work and time that we put into our labor, work, and family.
What may get in the way sometimes of us taking even more time to serve others is the mere fact that we wonder what we will get out of it in return.  I am the first to admit that I have fallen into that trap time and time again.  I hope that as this year passes the thought of doing good for others is something we look to do when  no one else is watching.  For in these moments we truly come to realize that doing good is a joy beyond measure, and no tangible item will ever take the place of the feeling that follows a selfless act of service.

What Does 2011 Bring For Others?

January 1st, 2011 is now here.  2010 may or may not have been the best year you have ever had, but one thing is for sure- you can choose to make 2011 a great year right from the start.  I think 2010 was a year that was memorable for me in many ways.  I have memories of people who took the time to help Kara and I in many different ways.  It has been a year that I have learned when you surround yourself with great people, great things usually happen.  The influence we have on each other to do good is a powerful thing.
As this new year is now upon us, I hope each of us has learned the necessary lessons from 2010 that will help us to become better people.   2011 can be the year that we can make a difference in others lives since our lives are full of many blessings already.  Happy New Year, and may it be a year that will provide many opportunities to love, serve, help and change others lives for the better!

Doing Good is a Joy Beyond Measure

I have a hope that this blog will be a place where we can share thoughts, experiences, and ideas about how to help and serve others.  Doing good on a daily basis for others and giving of our time and talents to improves the lives of others can create so much joy.  I have always wondered what it would feel like if at the end of a year I could look back and see how many people I met, talked with, helped or served.  I can only imagine how that would feel now.  I would like that feeling to become reality.

Someone once told me, "leave where you are better off than when you got there".  I think I have left so many opportunities to serve others on the table and have missed out on leaving them better off than when I met them.  I promised myself that daily I will be more aware of others and their needs.  It is my hope that anyone who reads or follows this blog will do the same, and that together we can make a difference in the lives of others for the better.