Learning to be Selfless

The Bible says to serve those who cannot pay you back. 

 It says to look for the downtrodden, and lift them up.   

 James 1:27 reads, 

"True religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this:

 to look after orphans and widows in their distress 

and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” 

 

I care about people. 

 I want to care more about them, though.  

My Mom and I visit residents in the nursing home that is here by our house.  We go every Tuesday afternoon, just for an hour, and we read the Bible to the ones who never get visitors.  

Jesus cared about the forgotten people, the ones who were really desperate, 

like the woman who had the bleeding problem.  

I know God is pleased that I have not forgotten the ones 

who are hidden away, not noticed, forgotten. 

 Sometimes it is uncomfortable.  

Sometimes there are bad smells, or slobber, and dirt.  

But I am trying to look past all that.  I am learning to be more unselfish.  

That is how Jesus was.  

This is me, going into Brookdale Nursing Home to visit Mrs. Shaw,
who recently got her leg amputated

Friday is Good Samaritan Day

On Fridays, we finish up our schooling activities early, and do random (or not so random) acts of kindness, which we call "Good Samaritan" deeds. 

Sometimes we do them as a family, and other times we invite friends to do them with us.  Some of our deeds are done in secret, some are not.  One Friday we made cupcakes and cards of thanks, and delivered them to our local Firehouse to show appreciation to our Fire Fighters.  They were really grateful, and now when I see them around town, they know me by name. 

Once a month, I take my friends over to the local Nursing Home, and we visit with the residents, sing with them, pray with them, and sometimes we make a craft with them.  I have become friends with many of these residents, and the nurses there say it makes their day  when we visit.

One Friday, I helped my dad paint the Living room.  I learned how to tape off the baseboards, use a roller, and how to clean the paint brushes afterwards.

We have done this for many years.  When I was a little kid, I enjoyed washing my parents' cars on Fridays. 

One Friday we made an herb garden with seeds and tiny pots for an elderly lady down the street who couldn't get out in her yard easily, but wanted to grow herbs.  It was fun, and later she baked some bread for us using those same Herbs that grew from our seeds.  That was fantastic, and it tasted delicious. 

Here are some other ideas of kind acts that can be done anytime:

Put together zip-lock bags of basic toiletries, snacks, reading material to hand to the homeless. Introduce yourself and shake each person’s hand when you give them one.

Send a handwritten letter to a shut in person.

Take someone a homemade "Picnic" lunch at work. Maybe your parent, or maybe just the overworked lady at the Post Office.

Next time you go for a Happy Meal at McDonalds,  bring an extra bit of money (if it takes a while to save this up, that's ok... it will be worth it!), then pay for a stranger’s meal.

Leave a huge tip for a waiter/waitress, even if all you bought was a donut.

Leave cookies for your mail delivery person or garbage man/men.

Visit a rest home and listen to the residents’ stories.

Next time you cut your lawn or shovel snow off the walk, do the same for your neighbor.

Put coins in meters for cars that are about to expire.

Hide dollars in hiding places in the dollar store!  I like to hide them in the toy aisle.

Write a letter and make a care package for a deployed soldier.

Take brownies to the police station for the officers.

.

Do Something NOW

I hate it that Policemen are being shot down in the streets in 

our country these days! 

They are the ones who help, and yet

bad people are going after them to KILL.

Today,some friends and I made some cupcakes, 

wrote some encouraging notes, 

and delivered them to 

our local Police Station.

The Police Officers were so happy! 

It only took an hour of our time, but  

we made a huge difference in 

the Policemen's day!

We showed them our notes, and then asked 

the Police Chief if we could say a 

prayer over them. 

Steven, my good friend led the prayer, asking God to 

provide safety, wisdom, and 

protection to all the officers. 

Then we just talked and petted the big Police Dog. 

I encourage everyone to take time to 

do something like this soon.  

These men do dangerous work and 

they said very few people thank them. 

"When the righteous are in authority,

 the people rejoice:

but when the wicked rule, 

the people mourn."

Proverbs 29:2 (KJV)

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