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Pay It Forward Linden

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payitforward_linden4I am excited about the Pay It Forward Linden project and the new web site (not yet functional) named: PayItForwardLinden.com

The background noise in my head was screaming that our Linden community should be the corner stone of a Pay It Forward network across the US. It’s a radical idea, but communities, cities and our nation are in need of radical thinkers. I hope you are willing to work with me to conceptualize this trickle-down idea and find ways to make it a reality.

 What does trickle-down mean?

Students in our community will eventually attend colleges and universities in various cities and states. The goal is for students to embrace, share and apply the Pay It Forward Project principles wherever life takes them.

Be an inspiration

Why bother? I answer that question with a recent Facebook post by a Linden resident who witnessed this Pay It Forward act of kindness within our community.

Let me follow that by another act of kindness my grandson, Fischer, observed in the Alpine Shopping Plaza this summer. It made such an impression on him that He continues to speak about it to this day.

An elderly woman with a cane was trying to cross the parking lot to her car. A young man got out of his vehicle and asked the woman if she needed help to her car. My grandson’s comment, “He must be someone in our community who know Jesus, because that’s what Jesus would do.”

What’s the plan?

It’s to make a difference in our community no matter how great or small the effort; to keep us aware of the many acts of kindness we can do within our tribe of Linden residents. My blog, Devotionals for the Imperfect Person, outlines a Pay It Forward Christmas agenda I will be doing with my grandkids.

This isn’t a mission to save the world, but rather a purposed outreach to unite our community to respond to any and all in our tribe that may have a need. Back in the day, I knew just about everyone in our community. Our simple farm community has grown in more ways than I care to consider and continues to grow. To maintain the same home-time lifestyle we have always enjoyed, we need to become proactive about the direction our community is headed.

The former farm fields have become new sub-divisions. New homes, new residents bring new visions; some good, some not. The purpose of the Pay It Forward Linden project is to unite the vision for our community in extraordinary ways.

How can that happen?

The Pay It Forward project has nothing to do with our personal religious and political viewpoints. It’s about genuine love and concern for those living in our community. It’s a commitment to make acts of kindness, encouraging words, and random pay-it-forward moments part of our daily lifestyle.

It’s a combined effort to impart a profound impact within our community that makes a noticeable and lasting imprint both inside and outside our tribal boundaries.

I don’t have time to get involved!

Really!! You don’t have time to give back and get involved in the community you have chosen to live, grow a family, attend church, and enjoy Linden tribal activities, sporting events and parks. Not to mention a community in which you have invested TAX DOLLARS!

OK, I get it, but what now?

The first step is to let our community tribe know about the Pay It Forward Linden project. There are several holiday events in Linden within the next couple of months. These happenings are a perfect time to introduce and share the Pay It Forward Linden project.

STEP ONE: Purchase a 12 x 18 Pay It Forward Linden yard sign for your home or business to bring awareness to the project. The cost is $15 which includes a wire stand.

Leave a text or voice message on my cell 810-399-4842 by October 26 to order a yard sign. I will personally deliver to you by November 17 and pick up cash payment on delivery.

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Walking Mission Field

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I’ve been called many things, but never a walking mission field; it was a first.

I recently connected with a prior acquaintance to assist me with my Monday house cleaning jobs. The drive time between each house clean has given us ample opportunity to grow from acquaintance status into a heartfelt friendship. Her name is Janine.

Travel Talks

During our travel time we talk about our families, favorite pastimes and share memories about our childhood years. But it is our shared faith that really seals the bond between us. She is a believer in Christ and her commitment to a life long journey of discovering what that means brings added value to our relationship because I am on that same journey.

A few weeks ago I casually mentioned that I have a blog called Devotionals for the Imperfect Person. Those who know me well know that writing is my passion. Not just writing about my faith to bring inspiration, but writing stories of encouragement and hope when weathering storms of life.

Caught Off Guard

On other drives Janine and I have talked about my Warrior Chair project; chairs painted and gifted to others that are battling cancer. There have been conversations about cultivating a daily pay it forward attitude, being attentive to the needs of others and my life as a pastor’s daughter.

It was our last stop on the home from a clean this week that prompted Janine’s comment, “You are just a walking mission field.” It truly caught me off guard and I was uncertain what had prompted the remark.

I had made a quick stop at the corner market near my home after our last clean. I explained to Janine that the girl who worked there was a single mom with two kids. Her work days were 15 hours with a 40 minute drive to work. I went on to share I had dropped off a token gift bag to her last week.

There was nothing of particular value in the bag, but it contained some goodies along with a note of thanks for the great service she gives every time I visit the store. Unknown to me, the store clerk was having a particularly difficult day and the gift bag was a reminder she is valued.

The Mission

I shared this story with Janine. Not to receive any accolades, but to share the joyful impact a simple goodie bag had gifted to this unknown store clerk and how she was filled with gratitude. The door was now open to share the greatest gift of all: God’s love for a store clerk I barely knew.

We can all choose to be walking (or driving) mission fields. The rewards of our efforts may not be evident through the eyes of man, but God’s all-seeing eyes take note and He blesses the effort in unthinkable ways.

What mission field are you headed to today?

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2018: A Pay It Forward Christmas

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1ab1d1e0550be0eb56556f6449aba62bAs the Christmas holiday season approaches, I am contemplating ways to make it a minimalist holiday season. Those on my buying list have no genuine needs. They might have wants, but that’s not the same as needs.

My grandkids are in their teens or soon to be in that age group. They lack nothing and have  a closet filled with clothes, comforts of a good home, food on the table and electronic devices up the wazoo. What they believe to be lacking in their life are expensive items like owning their own vehicle free and clear (you know, that new Jeep parked at the local dealership), prepaid car insurance until they finish college & university degrees (paid for, of course, by someone other than themselves).

It’s the wave of the current generation; the one we helped to create by giving them (our kids and grandkids) everything they desire with little regard to words like: earn, work, deserve, merit or most importantly, saying no.

This year, I have determined that the gifts on my shopping list will be genuinely gifted from the heart.

What does that mean?

I like to think of it as ‘pay it forward’ gifts. It’s not about what you receive, but what you gift to someone else. It could be buying a cup of hot cocoa for the volunteer person who rings the bell for Salvation Army donations. Maybe it’s baking cookies or a Bundt cake for local firefighters or police officers, or dropping quarters in the a laundromat washing machine to pay for someone’s next load.

The agenda

I have posted my agenda, should you want to consider a minimalist Christmas this year. Yes, I am starting early, but the initial planning takes some pre-planning because the thought process involves thinking of others before us.

My grandkids won’t receive any Christmas gifts from Neenee & Poppy unless they fulfill the (15) required ‘Pay It Forward’ items on the list below. Some items can be done jointly; others must be done solo. The agenda will start November 24 and must be completed by December 22.

  1. Deliver indoor plant to someone in a nursing home (jointly)
  2. Buy a cup of hot cocoa for the Salvation Army person ringing the bell (solo)
  3. Bake something for firefighters or police officers (jointly)
  4. Put a quarter in a gumball machine and walk away (solo)
  5. Put enough quarters in a laundromat washing machine for someone to do a load (solo)
  6. Print up some inspiring signs and post around town (jointly)
  7. Leave a card on someone’s door step that tells them you prayed for them today (anonymously). Pray over the card before leaving on doorstep. (solo)
  8. Post a sheet of random ‘Pay It Forward’ tear-off compliment’s at neighboring stores/businesses
  9. Drop off a meal to a widow. (jointly)
  10. Leave a box of goodies in your mailbox for your mail carrier. (jointly)
  11. Spend some time with the elderly. There are many people in retirement homes that have no one who visits them. Ask the local facility staff if there’s someone whose day you could brighten. (either jointly or solo)
  12. Send a handwritten card to someone you know, unexpectedly. (solo)
  13. Put post-it notes with positive sayings on random lockers at school. (solo)
  14. Write a 200 word letter to your parents about why you love them. (solo)
  15. Donate a much loved toy or item of clothing to someone in need within the community. (solo)

I look forward to sharing photos and comments of our Pay It Forward Christmas season.

 

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Never Under Estimate God’s Purpose

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quoteCleaning homes is not something I ever expected to be doing in my sixties. Heck, I had already retired from one job and sold a prosperous LLC company by age sixty.

It’s not that I consider myself above house cleaning; it’s just that the thought never crossed my mind. Apparently it crossed the mind of God and I was assigned to be a house cleaning missionary.

It’s true. Not only that, but God also hand-selected someone I had never before met to work with me in the mission field. Pretty crazy, isn’t it? At my age, nothing surprises me about God and the ways He will use us for His purpose IF we are willing.

THE STORY

A single mom, married multiple times, who didn’t finish college until later in life. A woman broken by life’s struggles; a woman, by the grace of God, who found a secure job with decent wages and benefits to support herself and daughter.

I am guessing many of you have a similar story to share that is filled with shame, regrets and 20/20 vision. It’s that history that gets us to the God-designated place we are today. It takes unplanned events, heartaches and, in some cases, losses to get us to where God wants us to be.

THE WHY

In hindsight, the why is very clear but since glimpses of our future are not made known to us, we impatiently choose to move forward without a God-ordained plan. That is me, even to this day. I want to see the road ahead but when it’s not visible, I forge a path in the opposite direction of what God has planned for my life. It’s what I do and I do it very well.

THE HOPE

Be still my heart for there is still hope for us wayward souls who tend to take the path less taken. The path filled with thorns, burs and barbed wire. The path that ultimately leaves us scarred, wounded and crying for help.

And, then there is Jesus. His mercy and grace beckons us in another direction. A path we never considered, but a path that leads us to still waters; where he can restore us anew.

THE REASON

The life paths and direction God has designed for each of us is as different as our DNA. Our divine purpose on earth is unique because it is eternal based. We can’t see the big picture; we only see what is here and now.

I often ask God the reason I’ve been chosen to be a house cleaning missionary at this time in my life; an age where I can barely step in and out of a bathroom spa tub and scrubbing floors can require knee pads. His answer comes in ways I never imagined.

  • The woman crying in her car across the street from one of our house cleans who willingly accepted our offer to pray with her because her mother was dying.
  • The widow who looks forward to our visits because we make her laugh.
  • The busy doctor and PA with small children who continually show gratitude and thanks for the service we provide.
  • The grandmother who acquired custody of her grandkids because of family addiction issues and needs a sounding board.
  • The single father who needs help with housekeeping.
  • The single mom at the corner store who needs encouragement; so, we left her a goody bag.
  • The guy who noted the name ‘My Magic Mop’ on our vehicle and his laughter when I replied, “I ride the Magic Mop to work.”
  • The retired military man, a widow, who needs help with cleaning.

THE MISSION

To remain sensitive to the needs of others and continue to joyfully serve in the mission field God has placed me in at this time in my life. There are days I come home sore and tired. Other days, I come home exhilarated by the small victories, the challenges I’ve overcome and the new friendships acquired.

Never under estimate where God places you at certain times of your life.

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Opposing Views

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opposingviewsI believe it’s a pretty fair assessment that posting our opposing political views serves no purpose but to vent our mindset on the situation. Let’s be honest, based on the Facebook posts I am seeing, you aren’t going to change or persuade anyone’s mind on their political views.

My circle of friends encompasses many that have a political or religious viewpoint that differs from mine. I’m certain you find yourself in the same amphitheater. We cheer on those who support our opinion and cause but tend to separate ourselves from those who voice an opposing view. I have noticed it is not unusual for a verbal confrontation or dissolution of friendship to ensue.

This discord weighs heavy on my heart as this passage of scripture comes to mind,

“Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. Nothing is covered up that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. Therefore whatever you have said in the dark shall be heard in the light, and what you have whispered in private rooms shall be proclaimed upon the housetops” (RSV) Luke 12: 1-3

We must live without any real secrets, because they are eventually going to become public—now, later, or when Jesus’ comes. We will be on full display when we stand before the Lord. The reality of our public persona and true self will be revealed.

 “They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”
Luke 12:53

So, while we all sit back as judge and jury on current political events, let us take pause of our own personal life. What hidden and unrevealed hypocrisies lurk in the shadows of our past? It’s a question that requires serious contemplation because, one day, we will be required to give a full account of our life.

When the big books of heaven are opened and your soul is required to give account for your time on earth, how will it read?

I sincerely pray the proclamation of your life reads: “It is well with my soul.”

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Unexpected Grace

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With all the current mudslinging going on in the political arena, it’s refreshing to post some inspiring news about people who touch our life and often go unmentioned.

One such person is my longtime friend, Charlie, a retired engineer and owner of every foodie appliance on the market not to mention being an expert gardening by Google guru. He enjoys sharing his infinite knowledge, (at least what I believe to be infinite), about making home-brewed beers, sauerkraut varietals, roasted coffee beans and a plethora of ways to smoke meats and cheeses…and so much more.

Charlie grew up in Louisville and relocated to Michigan after college. In that transition our friendship blossomed and he became what I describe as a friend in all seasons. I can consistently count on him to be there whenever there is a need. It’s an unearned, cherished friendship not taken for granted.

Recently Charlie attended an autumn dinner celebration at my home and brought a bountiful variety of sauerkraut for us to taste.  True to form, he shared his usual myriad of information about everything imaginable but it was what happened after dinner that captured my attention.

Olivia, my middle school granddaughter, needed help with math homework.  From the get-go I was useless. Poppy and her mamma threw up their hands even though both were math minor graduates. And then, there was Charlie. The engineer I knew to be a whiz at math, even by today’s new math standards.

My heart swelled with appreciation as I listened to Charlie patiently coach and instruct Olivia in how to solve each math problem. I was reminded why I chose him to be a lifelong friend. It was a moment that substantiated the benevolence of mankind if we take a moment to part the waters of our bigotry, hatred and animosity of our political differences.

With homework finished, a very tired Olivia headed home with a heart full of gratitude for someone who took time to touch her life in an unexpected way. It was just homework to us, but to my granddaughter, it was much more than that.  It was the unearned, cherished help from someone in a time of need. In that moment, I caught a glimpse of the unmerited grace that Christ shows us every day of our life. It may not be help with a math equation, but it is most definitely help with a life equation.

Today’s Prayer:

Thank you, God, for using Charlie to illustrate the true meaning of your grace in the most unexpected place and time. I pray that each of us takes time from our busy life to showcase those individuals that touch the lives of others and go unmentioned.

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Stuck in the Mud

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stuck_in_mud

Sometimes in life we find ourselves in a mud pit spinning our wheels and getting nowhere.  No matter how much effort we put into moving forward in life and overcoming challenges we are stuck; we’re in a funk and can’t get to where we need to be or want to go.

I’ve been immobilized in mud many times for many reasons and there key questions to be asked when that happens.

  • Am I secretly coveting the life of someone else?

How we see another person’s life is one dimensional. We don’t know what’s going on in the shadows. It’s futile to desire the lifestyle, job, wealth or relationships of others. If you choose to do so, the only place you will go is the mud pit.

Looking from the outside paints a deceptive facade of what chaos, agony and personal pain this person may be suffering on the inside.

  • Am I waiting for someone or something to change life for me?

If that is your mindset, you will remain in the mud pit. Only you with God’s help can bring change. If you want to get moving again then shift your life into four-wheel drive. That requires you, not others, to assume responsibility for your emotional, spiritual and physical well-being.

What does that require?

  • Refuse to play the blame game. What has happened in the past is just that, the past. Your focus should be the future.
  • Switch it up and change your routine. A change of venue is a powerful tool to change your mindset and see life from a different perspective.
  • Stop making assumptions based on past experiences. Realize you are empowered to forge new experiences, change your course and choose your fate.

 

  • Have I invested in mud flaps?

If you are spinning your wheels in mud, you’re going to need some mud flaps to keep the backlash of those who have no interest in YOUR destination but are quick to offer opinions, judgment and their point of view. Mud flaps guard our vision from the dirt and debris that life throws our way. They keep us from being directionally challenged so we don’t end up in the mud pit.

I got mine for free by asking God. The set includes: Guidance of the Holy Spirit (guidance), the Word of God (intervention), Prayer (road-side assistance) and fellowship with other Christian believers (support). It’s a free-standing offer that I highly recommend.

  • Have I learned to say no?

Don’t be afraid to rearrange your priorities a bit and make “no” a more commonly used word in your vocabulary. The ability to say ‘no’ reflects you are in the driver’s seat of your life and empowers you to avoid the mud pits and navigate life according to God’s plan.

There are times that God deliberately places us in a mud pit to reform and transform us for a greater purpose. When we stop focusing on our circumstances (stop spinning our wheels) and focus on Him we find rest, encouragement and renewed passion.

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.
(Ps. 32:8)

If are currently in a stuck in the mud season of life, I encourage you to fully, completely, and absolutely surrender your own will and seek God’s. Let go of the lies, shame, worry, doubt, comparing yourself to others and take hold of your grace-filled pardon.

Dare to dance to the unique rhythm God has fashioned for your life and invest in mud flaps.