Have you ever read, seen, or heard something that caused you to really take notice? Perhaps it changed the way you thought of a particular concept. Perhaps you understood a situation from another's perspective, in a way you previously did not. One way John and I judge movies is by how much we talk about them afterwards. A well-written script causes us to reflect upon the meaning and talk about how it translates to real life.
While talk is good, action is better. "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery." Whatever the initial motivating force--an idea from a book, a speech, a movie, or a life--a magnifying effect occurs as that idea takes hold of one's actions. The acted-upon idea has not only the power to change the individual's life, but others' lives as well.
You might remember that last Christmas I participated in the #LightTheWorld initiative. Each day, for 25 days, we were encouraged to think of a way to follow the example of Jesus Christ. On one of the days last December, my daughter and I handed out bags of small items to the homeless people we encountered as we drove around town. One woman in particular was very touched by that small gesture, and I felt good that our efforts made a difference in her life.
Sometime in 2017, I gave away sunscreen to a person at a freeway exit. I was on my way to mail off a package, and while I stood in line at the post office, a man behind me exclaimed, "You gave away the sunscreen!" Apparently he had been in the car behind mine. He saw me give sunscreen. He gave money. He was so excited about the idea of having items in the car to give away. He told me that he had witnessed two people, in a car like mine, give out a bag to a homeless person at Christmastime. I realized that he might have seen my daughter and I. A chance encounter in the post office reminded me that we never know the full impact our actions can have.
This year, the #LightTheWorld campaign continues, and I'm excited to see what happens as I purposefully participate.
On the top of the right-hand sidebar of this blog is a video, which I believe will change (perhaps daily, starting in December?) The video that is currently playing goes along with the message for December 1st: "Freely ye have received, freely give." (Matthew 10:8) Please take the time to click on it and watch it.
What did you think? Would you like to see vending machines like that one? Will you join me as we #LightTheWorld this Christmas season?
While talk is good, action is better. "Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery." Whatever the initial motivating force--an idea from a book, a speech, a movie, or a life--a magnifying effect occurs as that idea takes hold of one's actions. The acted-upon idea has not only the power to change the individual's life, but others' lives as well.
You might remember that last Christmas I participated in the #LightTheWorld initiative. Each day, for 25 days, we were encouraged to think of a way to follow the example of Jesus Christ. On one of the days last December, my daughter and I handed out bags of small items to the homeless people we encountered as we drove around town. One woman in particular was very touched by that small gesture, and I felt good that our efforts made a difference in her life.
Sometime in 2017, I gave away sunscreen to a person at a freeway exit. I was on my way to mail off a package, and while I stood in line at the post office, a man behind me exclaimed, "You gave away the sunscreen!" Apparently he had been in the car behind mine. He saw me give sunscreen. He gave money. He was so excited about the idea of having items in the car to give away. He told me that he had witnessed two people, in a car like mine, give out a bag to a homeless person at Christmastime. I realized that he might have seen my daughter and I. A chance encounter in the post office reminded me that we never know the full impact our actions can have.
This year, the #LightTheWorld campaign continues, and I'm excited to see what happens as I purposefully participate.
On the top of the right-hand sidebar of this blog is a video, which I believe will change (perhaps daily, starting in December?) The video that is currently playing goes along with the message for December 1st: "Freely ye have received, freely give." (Matthew 10:8) Please take the time to click on it and watch it.
What did you think? Would you like to see vending machines like that one? Will you join me as we #LightTheWorld this Christmas season?
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Conversations are so much nicer when more than one person does the talking. :-) Please leave a comment and let me know your thoughts; I'd love to hear from you!