String Cheese - A Not So Random Act Of Kindness

On Thursday, March 15, 2012, my friend Pam had a make-over party to help a friend of hers who is getting her Mary Kay business started.  I, personally, love a make-over.  I was definitely all in.  Just as we were getting started, my lovely Nicki  friend sent me a text asking if I could pick her up and take her to the store or a gas station for some Sierra Mist and string cheese.  She had a migraine and didn’t think she was safe to drive even under a mile.  Oh no!!!  I texted her back and let her know I was busy and sorry I couldn’t be of help at that moment.  After the make-overs were done, orders placed, and a little chat time, I left Pam’s house.  It was around 8 pm.  God placed on my heart to pick up the soda and cheese and drop them off with Nicki.  I needed gas anyway and didn’t seem an unreasonable request as I was maybe three miles away from Nicki.  I had my choice of five (yes five) gas stations between Pam and Nicki.  For whatever reason God had, it seemed I should stop at Speedway.  I almost pulled into the one on River where 136^th and Butternut meet.  Something stopped me and I went to the Speedway on James and Butternut.  I filled up my tank, went into the station, grabbed a two liter of Sierra Mist and set about looking for string cheese.  They did have cheese, but it was a block of cheddar; nothing in the string variety.  I went to the register.  The sweet woman who rang up my sale said to me, “Honey, you looked a little lost, like you were wandering a little much.  Did you not find what you were looking for?”  “No,” I replied.  “I was looking for string cheese for my friend, but you don’t have any.  That’s fine.  I don’t imagine all gas stations sell string cheese.”  “String cheese?”  “Yes, string cheese.  My friend has a migraine and asked if I could get her some soda and cheese.  I don’t know if it’s for her or her kids, but I think for her.  Seems a strange request, but if cheese helps, I’ll find the cheese.”  The sales lady seemed more than a little perplexed.  I paid and was turning to walk away, when she touched my arm.  “Hang on a second.  I might have something for your friend.”  She went into the back of the station.  I figured maybe Speedway had a shipment that day and the string cheese just wasn’t out yet.  She came back and hands me three packages of string cheese.  “If your friend needs it, she may have mine.  I bought a bunch of it when I went shopping the other day.  I don’t even like it that much and don’t know why I bought it.  I brought these as part of my lunch thinking I might as well eat it since I bought it.  I just don’t get it.”  With huge tears in my eyes, I accepted the gift, took her hands and said, “May God bless you for this, for your willingness to give not only to someone you don’t know but to someone twice removed.  You bought it for such as time as this (Esther 4:14). I pray God will bless you abundantly for this.”  “Let me know if it helps your friend.  Now I’m curious why she needs cheese for a migraine.”  “I will let you know for sure.”  I left the gas station and dropped the stuff with Nicki.  She and I both cried and praised God for this.  You see, string cheese is the only food that Nicki doesn’t throw up when she has a migraine.  When I got home, I said to the Lord, “I never thought I’d be praising You for string cheese, but here I am, Lord, praising You all the same.  May You bless the angel You placed at Speedway, 10,000 fold what she sowed today in cheese.”  The cheese was a totally divine set up.  The Mary Kay party was supposed to be two weeks before, but due to illness and a couple of other conflicts, Pam rescheduled the party for Thursday.  I just so happened to need gas and didn’t get it in the morning, like I usually do.  God set us all up just to intervene and bless Nicki at a time when she needed it.  According to 2^nd Peter 1:3 “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.”  Only God knew “everything we need” included string cheese.  Praise the Lord, oh my soul!!!

Kony 2012 - Are Your Feet Beautiful?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4MnpzG5Sqc&feature=colike

I don't know what to say after watching the Kony 2012 video.  I'm awfully glad the Holy Spirit will pray on my behalf.  All the sudden my problems and worries seem pretty small and unimportant.  I'm outraged for many reasons.  One because Kony uses the Lord's name in his army.  He certainly is not operating on the Lord's behalf.  Also because none of this gets in the media.  I'm praising God for raising up individuals like these who champion on behalf of those who have no voice, who are invisible.  Watching the video also dropped me to my knees.  I have a friend who started & is working with organizations to stop human trafficking.  Not enough is said about that issue either.  Her Facebook page is We Stop Traffic.  So all this leads to what can I in Zeeland, MI do?  Donate, pray, spread the message.  We are called to give the voiceless a voice, to let them be heard.  The invisible among us and around the world are the least of these.  We can make a difference.  We can show them the true hope Jesus gives.  "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'"  Jeremiah 29:11  The plans God has for these invisible children does not include abduction, rape, slavery, murder, etc.  God is rallying us to do something, to work to set them free from this torture and bondage.  Even if you don't believe in the message or the organization behind the Kony 2012 message, do some research and find an organization you can get behind.  Whatever you do, don't be complacent.  "How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion 'Your God reigns!'"  Isaiah 52:7