Random Acts of "Kindness"

Posts tagged ‘FRIENDS’

GOD’S DIRECTIONS

I recently wrote a thought ramble STEERING WHEEL concerning God’s Direction of my life and my tendency to want to direct my course. I recently met an acquaintance who is grieving for the passing of her fiancée. He had a stroke and she was his main caregiver until life changed and she was no longer responsible for his care. We were not close friends and I didn’t know of his passing. I could relate to her sorrow, I could also relate to the feeling of guilt that arises when you feel you have left a loved one down.

I experienced a great deal of guilt when we had to put my father, who had Alzheimer’s, in a nursing home because he could no longer walk. I spent a portion of chapter 10 in To Pap, With Love writing about my feelings. I also felt guilty when we had to send our Chocolate Lab, Mabel, home in July 2011. A neighbor’s comment helped take away my guilt.

It is not easy to accept God’s decisions or direction in our life. Have we been prevented from taking a planned trip? Why? Have we fallen and sprained or broken an important part of our body. Once again — WHY?? When life doesn’t follow the path that we have chosen — the question becomes WHY??

It doesn’t matter if the change is life changing – a failed marriage or romance, the loss of a friend or family member, the loss of a job. The change can be minor — a fall — sprained or broken body part, unplanned medical expense or emergency, unexpected bill, argument with a friend.

It is extremely hard in those situations to remember that God is in charge, He wants the best for us. Whatever the challenge in our life is, with His help, we can do it! We need to remember to ask for His help!

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GOOD IDEA

When I learn something that I think will help others, I don’t keep it a secret — I like to share. I am so happy with the results of my Fast Metabolism diet that I have been like Johnny Apple Seed, sharing the information with friends whom I think would benefit. I’m especially happy since I have tried for many years to lose weight and it just hasn’t happened.

I hadn’t seen our neighbor at the campground all summer. She has had two battles with breast cancer and gained 12 extra pounds over the winter which is not making her happy. I shared the book with her — Fast Metabolism Diet — hopefully she will have the same success I’ve had.  It shouldn’t interfere with the medicine she is taking because the diet is natural food, no pills or powders added. The food is arranged according to a schedule to boost your metabolism.

I planned to share the information with two friends who were experiencing their own health issues. I had copies of the food which is allowed so they could check to see if the food was compatible to their tastes. Even though it would help my husband to lose a couple of pounds, he would not be able to follow the plan. Most of the vegetables allowed he doesn’t eat, nor wants too. The few vegetables that he likes are not on the plan. He is safe from my suggestions.

Often when I have a good idea to share, the people who could benefit from the idea appear in my path. I will admit that I’m not sharing this idea with just anyone, even if they could benefit. I’m not going up to strangers on the street. I have put on my own brakes — I have to already know the person or have been in a long enough conversation to be inspired to share.

Maybe it is my age, but the number of people I have shared with this week is approaching a dozen. I have to admit that I’m not sticking to the food guidelines as strictly as I have in the past. I see corn on the cob in my future — the early corn is ready. Spring rain encouraged good growth, mature kernels. At the same time, I like the food that I have been eating and if I either don’t regain the weight, or stop losing — I might continue to bend the rules a bit while still following most of the plan.

I hoped a Thesaurus was part of the computer program. NOPE! One word was appearing over and over in my thought ramble, there must be something else I can use! I couldn’t think! Putting some books away at the camper, something blocked their path. Investigating I found a Thesaurus hidden at the back of the shelf. THANK YOU! HELP is ALWAYS appreciated!

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MINT RESCUE

Since I started the Fast Metabolism diet I have been drinking Sassy water which was recommended in the Flat Belly Diet book. Besides water, it contains peeled cucumber, sliced lemon, grated ginger and fresh mint leaves. Returning from the camper, I needed to make a new batch. I picked some mint from the plants growing by our back gate — the plants were healthy, very abundant, getting ready to flower.

The next morning, taking out some recyclable material before the garbage men came, I noticed bare dirt were my mint had been. I was perplexed. Who pulled the mint? I found the remains in my neighbor’s garbage can. He pulled the weeds by his gate and our mint came along. My son told me our neighbor didn’t know it was mint, the plants looked like weeds. I rescued some plants, and dug a hole in a shady part of our yard far from my neighbor. Hopefully they will like their new home. Since I didn’t cut off the tops, the remaining leaves are even more dried out. I might try to salvage the dry leaves. Time will tell.

Time is telling another story. Many years ago when my children were in grammar school, our middle daughter came home with an adult man she knew from her friends on our block. My daughter is fair skinned, very blonde. The man was tall, muscular, the color of dark mahogany. The time was somewhere in the early 1970’s. Our neighbors were very concerned when they saw my children with him. My daughter asked if he could plant a garden in our back yard. My husband agreed. And so our family was adopted by Muscles. He loved to plant — our tomato plants were taller than our garage. Once I found a pumpkin vine growing near our fence. Muscles didn’t know how it got there. RIGHT! My dad and Muscles would sit together on the back porch and watch the garden grow. Muscles was born in 1900, my father in 1910. Muscles passed over before my father started losing his memory. Our new garage takes up most of our yard, we don’t have space for a garden anymore. I’m sure Muscles has a large garden in heaven.

This morning I noticed a pumpkin vine growing near the tree in our back yard. “Hello Muscles.”

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TICK TOCK

It should come as no surprise if I mention that many years ago, I discovered that I was often in the right place at the right time to help someone or be helped in return. At least twenty years ago, I was instrumental in saving my neighbor’s life. When I realized the timing, goose bumps rose on my arms and whenever I told the story, they came back. The story was written in TO PAP, WITH LOVE.

Recently, timing was brought to my attention again. This time, it wasn’t a life changing event, just an ordinary day. And since it was a normal day, the timing on reflection, gave me a smile.

I had a few errands to run. At first, I was going to walk, but I was tired and when I thought of all the stops, I decided to drive. First the bank. It wasn’t that my transaction was difficult, I was tired, my mind was muddled. I couldn’t figure out the best way to cash a check, deposit money in the savings account AND transfer more money into the checking account so I could pay some unforeseen bills. Just how many slips did I need to fill out? Luckily, the bank clerk has unraveled my transactions before.

Next stop, the grocery store. In the parking lot, I met a woman whose daughter went to school with my eldest daughter. We won’t talk about how many years ago that was. Sun out for a moment, we chatted for a while. Heading for the store once again, I noticed an elderly woman was having trouble moving a cart. The braking mechanism had locked. I lent a helping hand which led to another discussion. This time about strength and leg ulcers. She had a sore on her leg that wasn’t healing.

Finally entering the store, I picked up the few items that were on my list. Heading for the check out line, a story in a magazine caught my eye. Since I didn’t want to buy it, I read the short article, half blocking the lane. A man asked if the station was open, and if he could pass. Following him into the line, I overheard his conversation about a sale item. Curious, I asked what was on sale. (We had just returned home from our daughter’s and I hadn’t looked at the sales.) I learned that boneless, skinless chicken breast was on sale. Once again, I planned to start a restricted eating plan and chicken breast was on the menu. I knew I could wrap them singularly, and only take out one at a time. Before purchasing a package, I confirmed with the butcher that the chicken wasn’t sodium injected.

My “friends in High Places” often have my best interest in mind.  THANK YOU!
Regaining my strength and energy, is high on my list. Possibly also on theirs.

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