Today, I was reading all the well wishes and prayers posted on line; Prayers and wishes for prosperity, blessings, good luck, etc. in the new year.
Seriously, if you are reading this....you are soooo blessed already!! Every one of us who read these messages for prosperity and blessings have a roof over our heads and money to pay our utilities to keep us warm. We have a warm, cozy bed to sleep in every night. We more than likely have a car and money for gas and upkeep on that car. We have good food to put in our bellies every day. We have families, loved ones, friends who love us and care for us.
Do we really need to hope and pray for MORE??; more blessings, more money, more of anything???
This year, I pray that we may each wake up every morning thanking God for all the blessings that He has given us and, more importantly, that we share our faith in God and our many, many blessings with others in need.
Happy New Year!!!!
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Monday, December 28, 2009
Listen and amazing things will happen
People ask me how I can just talk to strangers like I do. I have always been an outgoing and friendly person, I guess. I don't think I've ever met a stranger in my entire life.
But, since my son's murder in June of '08, I have been a little more guarded. I don't trust people like I used to. I find it harder to strike up conversations with people that I don't know. It's different now. But.....
Something just happened last week while I was at the food counter at Costco trying to gather up enough change to pay for my $1.50 hot dog and soda. I was blessed by a couple of strangers!
It all started when this young man, about 11 years old, had ordered his churros, saw that I was digging for change to pay for my order and said to me, "Ma'am, I have some money if you need some. I'll have about $3.00 left after I pay for my order." I replied, "Oh, I have plenty of money, really. I just want to use up my change because my purse gets too heavy. But, that was sweet for you to offer to help me."
I'll have to admit, I was quite embarrassed that this little guy thought that I didn't have enough money to pay for my food. As we both stood there waiting for our order I began to think about how my son would have done the very same thing. Matthew would give away his last $1.00 if someone needed it. Many times Matthew would ask me for money and I would find out later he needed it because he had given a homeless person or someone with a car load of kids next to him at the gas station his last few dollars. I could tell that this little guy had the same generous heart as my son.
I started to talk to him while we were waiting. It's always fun to talk to little kids but these days you have to be careful. Kids are so brainwashed about "strangers". (Hmmm...I wonder if the next generation will even know how to be personable and friendly to people...everyone is a stranger!! But, he seemed to be a friendly kid and obviously had no fear of strangers.)
So, we talked about how old he was and what grade he was in. I reiterated to him how very sweet he was to offer to give me money to pay for my food. Then I asked him, Moses was his name, if he went to church. He said, "Yes, we go to Firewheel Church". We talked about church for a while. Matthew, Jamie, the kids and I had visited Firewheel Church a couple of times so I told him I liked his church. I told him how my son had a kind, generous heart and he reminded me of Matthew. I told him that my son went to be with Jesus last year and that he was only 28. He looked sad and told me he was sorry!
We got our food and said our goodbye's and that was that. Or, so I thought!!!
I stopped at the customer service counter to ask a question about an item that was on sale and Moses and his mom came over and stood beside me. She needed to ask a question too. Whew, I was glad that she wasn't coming up to me to tell me off for sharing about Matthew with her son. But, when we talked, it was quite the opposite. She told me how very sorry she was about my son.
We talked for a minute at the counter. I told her that I had visited her church and I liked it but that we were going to First Baptist Dallas, where my son was a member before he died. She was a very nice lady but I sensed some hurt and pain in her voice. I could just tell that her spirit was sad. I didn't know why. But, I walked away after our brief conversation thinking that I would pray for her and her son, Moses. Moses reminded me so much of Matthew with his kind and generous spirit!!!
I didn't even get to the edge of the loading zone before I felt the Holy Spirit urging me to share a little bit of my story with this woman. And, although I was in a huge hurry, I turned around and told her that I needed to tell her something!! I shared the story about Matthew calling me one night several months before he was murdered; asking me to give him a ride home from the studio. He did not have the car and the kids were asleep so he didn't want Jamie to have to wake them up, load them in the car to go pick him up. I wasn't happy about having to do this; I was just getting ready to hop into bed. But, what Matthew shared with me that night as we sat in the car in the dark parking lot in front of the studio, I will never forget. As I was scolding Matthew for waiting outside in the dark at midnight he was reassuring me that he would be okay and that I shouldn't worry about him. He told me that he wasn't a kid and, in actuality, he never was really our kid...he was God's child and God just LOANED him to his dad and me!! Matthew told me that I need to let go of him; he was, after all, 28 years old with a family and a business of his own. He leaned over to give me a hug and told me to always remember that if anything ever happened to him, he would just be back in his Heavenly Father's arms...the best place to be!!!
As the tears flowed down this sweet woman's face, she began to share with me about her two daughters, both under 21, and her 16 year old son, who were all walking down the path of destruction. They were drinking, partying, leaving home for days at a time, being so very disrespectful and abusive to her, etc. She was so worried about them and so very heartbroken. I told her that I could most certainly relate. I shared some of Matthew's struggles with her and told her to let go of them, give her children to God (they were HIS after all) and to pray for them! Above all, I told her, do not worry about them. Worrying does not change anything. God can and will change their paths!! HE IS AMAZING!!!
You see, Matthew struggled through some of these very same things as a teenager and even into his early adult years. Matthew was always very impulsive and a risk taker when he was younger. He had been diagnosed with ADD when he was 8 years old. By the time he was in the 10th grade he had given up on school. He was staying home working on a home school program but that never worked out for him. He was not self disciplined enough or driven enough to get the work done. He went back to school in the spring semester of the 10th grade. A private school in Dallas for kids with learning differences. He loved it. However, he got involved with some wealthy kids who had the money and the access to drugs; cocaine, marijuana, acid, etc. And, unbeknownst to us, Matthew began using cocaine. His moods were unstable but we believed this to be symptoms of his ADD. Looking back.....well, hindsight is 20/20!!
Matthew was involved in the music program at his school and played John Travolta in "Greasin' Up The 50s" and sang several other solos in programs throughout the years. He loved to sing! He struggled through school with his mood swings; fighting against the effects of the drugs he was putting into his system. He made it through and graduated in '99. I believe, had it not been for this school, his involvement in music and, especially, his music teacher, that he would have continued down that very same road to destruction that this woman's kids were now on.
Sorry, enough about Matthew. Let me get back to my story!!
Wiping the tears from her face, this woman told me how much she appreciated me taking the time to tell her my story. I encouraged her to give her children to God, pray for them and try as hard as she could to not worry about them. I told her that she was not going to be able to change them but that God could and would. I stressed to her that she should be firm with them; enforce strict house rules and let them know that things would be changing and the rules would be followed in her home. She told me how tough that was to do. Boy, did I ever know how true that statement was!! But, I told her she had to do it for her kids sake. She agreed.
As we said goodbye and shared our information so that we could keep in contact, she told me that I would never know how much she really needed to hear what I had to say!! She said she was so sorry for my loss but that I had encouraged her so much with my story; what Matthew shared with me that night in the very same parking spot where he would later take his last breath on this earth!! Well, what she didn't realize was, that night, Moses was an angel sent from Heaven above to bless me; to warm my heart!! I had been missing Matthew so much that day!!
I know that God uses me!! He uses and will continue to use my stories and my ability to strike up conversations with complete strangers to bless and encourage others!! But, it's me who is so often blessed beyond belief whenever a "Christ-incidence" like this one happens in my life.
I want to encourage everyone to stop and listen to that still, small voice of the Holy Spirit of God, share your story, your faith and the love of Jesus with someone when you know the time is right. Our God is alive!!! He cares!! He puts people directly in our paths for a reason. So, listen...be friendly...be bold.....and prepare to be blessed!!!
But, since my son's murder in June of '08, I have been a little more guarded. I don't trust people like I used to. I find it harder to strike up conversations with people that I don't know. It's different now. But.....
Something just happened last week while I was at the food counter at Costco trying to gather up enough change to pay for my $1.50 hot dog and soda. I was blessed by a couple of strangers!
It all started when this young man, about 11 years old, had ordered his churros, saw that I was digging for change to pay for my order and said to me, "Ma'am, I have some money if you need some. I'll have about $3.00 left after I pay for my order." I replied, "Oh, I have plenty of money, really. I just want to use up my change because my purse gets too heavy. But, that was sweet for you to offer to help me."
I'll have to admit, I was quite embarrassed that this little guy thought that I didn't have enough money to pay for my food. As we both stood there waiting for our order I began to think about how my son would have done the very same thing. Matthew would give away his last $1.00 if someone needed it. Many times Matthew would ask me for money and I would find out later he needed it because he had given a homeless person or someone with a car load of kids next to him at the gas station his last few dollars. I could tell that this little guy had the same generous heart as my son.
I started to talk to him while we were waiting. It's always fun to talk to little kids but these days you have to be careful. Kids are so brainwashed about "strangers". (Hmmm...I wonder if the next generation will even know how to be personable and friendly to people...everyone is a stranger!! But, he seemed to be a friendly kid and obviously had no fear of strangers.)
So, we talked about how old he was and what grade he was in. I reiterated to him how very sweet he was to offer to give me money to pay for my food. Then I asked him, Moses was his name, if he went to church. He said, "Yes, we go to Firewheel Church". We talked about church for a while. Matthew, Jamie, the kids and I had visited Firewheel Church a couple of times so I told him I liked his church. I told him how my son had a kind, generous heart and he reminded me of Matthew. I told him that my son went to be with Jesus last year and that he was only 28. He looked sad and told me he was sorry!
We got our food and said our goodbye's and that was that. Or, so I thought!!!
I stopped at the customer service counter to ask a question about an item that was on sale and Moses and his mom came over and stood beside me. She needed to ask a question too. Whew, I was glad that she wasn't coming up to me to tell me off for sharing about Matthew with her son. But, when we talked, it was quite the opposite. She told me how very sorry she was about my son.
We talked for a minute at the counter. I told her that I had visited her church and I liked it but that we were going to First Baptist Dallas, where my son was a member before he died. She was a very nice lady but I sensed some hurt and pain in her voice. I could just tell that her spirit was sad. I didn't know why. But, I walked away after our brief conversation thinking that I would pray for her and her son, Moses. Moses reminded me so much of Matthew with his kind and generous spirit!!!
I didn't even get to the edge of the loading zone before I felt the Holy Spirit urging me to share a little bit of my story with this woman. And, although I was in a huge hurry, I turned around and told her that I needed to tell her something!! I shared the story about Matthew calling me one night several months before he was murdered; asking me to give him a ride home from the studio. He did not have the car and the kids were asleep so he didn't want Jamie to have to wake them up, load them in the car to go pick him up. I wasn't happy about having to do this; I was just getting ready to hop into bed. But, what Matthew shared with me that night as we sat in the car in the dark parking lot in front of the studio, I will never forget. As I was scolding Matthew for waiting outside in the dark at midnight he was reassuring me that he would be okay and that I shouldn't worry about him. He told me that he wasn't a kid and, in actuality, he never was really our kid...he was God's child and God just LOANED him to his dad and me!! Matthew told me that I need to let go of him; he was, after all, 28 years old with a family and a business of his own. He leaned over to give me a hug and told me to always remember that if anything ever happened to him, he would just be back in his Heavenly Father's arms...the best place to be!!!
As the tears flowed down this sweet woman's face, she began to share with me about her two daughters, both under 21, and her 16 year old son, who were all walking down the path of destruction. They were drinking, partying, leaving home for days at a time, being so very disrespectful and abusive to her, etc. She was so worried about them and so very heartbroken. I told her that I could most certainly relate. I shared some of Matthew's struggles with her and told her to let go of them, give her children to God (they were HIS after all) and to pray for them! Above all, I told her, do not worry about them. Worrying does not change anything. God can and will change their paths!! HE IS AMAZING!!!
You see, Matthew struggled through some of these very same things as a teenager and even into his early adult years. Matthew was always very impulsive and a risk taker when he was younger. He had been diagnosed with ADD when he was 8 years old. By the time he was in the 10th grade he had given up on school. He was staying home working on a home school program but that never worked out for him. He was not self disciplined enough or driven enough to get the work done. He went back to school in the spring semester of the 10th grade. A private school in Dallas for kids with learning differences. He loved it. However, he got involved with some wealthy kids who had the money and the access to drugs; cocaine, marijuana, acid, etc. And, unbeknownst to us, Matthew began using cocaine. His moods were unstable but we believed this to be symptoms of his ADD. Looking back.....well, hindsight is 20/20!!
Matthew was involved in the music program at his school and played John Travolta in "Greasin' Up The 50s" and sang several other solos in programs throughout the years. He loved to sing! He struggled through school with his mood swings; fighting against the effects of the drugs he was putting into his system. He made it through and graduated in '99. I believe, had it not been for this school, his involvement in music and, especially, his music teacher, that he would have continued down that very same road to destruction that this woman's kids were now on.
Sorry, enough about Matthew. Let me get back to my story!!
Wiping the tears from her face, this woman told me how much she appreciated me taking the time to tell her my story. I encouraged her to give her children to God, pray for them and try as hard as she could to not worry about them. I told her that she was not going to be able to change them but that God could and would. I stressed to her that she should be firm with them; enforce strict house rules and let them know that things would be changing and the rules would be followed in her home. She told me how tough that was to do. Boy, did I ever know how true that statement was!! But, I told her she had to do it for her kids sake. She agreed.
As we said goodbye and shared our information so that we could keep in contact, she told me that I would never know how much she really needed to hear what I had to say!! She said she was so sorry for my loss but that I had encouraged her so much with my story; what Matthew shared with me that night in the very same parking spot where he would later take his last breath on this earth!! Well, what she didn't realize was, that night, Moses was an angel sent from Heaven above to bless me; to warm my heart!! I had been missing Matthew so much that day!!
I know that God uses me!! He uses and will continue to use my stories and my ability to strike up conversations with complete strangers to bless and encourage others!! But, it's me who is so often blessed beyond belief whenever a "Christ-incidence" like this one happens in my life.
I want to encourage everyone to stop and listen to that still, small voice of the Holy Spirit of God, share your story, your faith and the love of Jesus with someone when you know the time is right. Our God is alive!!! He cares!! He puts people directly in our paths for a reason. So, listen...be friendly...be bold.....and prepare to be blessed!!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
