Even if I had a year to research and gather sources, I think I'd still be spinning my wheels. Today I went to the Chamblin Book Mine — the big used book store — and stuck my head down the rows of "Christian and Spiritual" shelves for a little inspiration. You've never seen so many books, so many Bibles, so many studies, so many devotionals — it was overwhelming. My stomach started churning over all the choices.
I made haste to the children's paperback book section, panting — panicked.
When in doubt, consider Ramona. I was reading Ramona Quimby Age 8 last night with the kids. Ramona and my daughter, Marley, are one-in-the-same.
We have been laughing about the similarities — last week when Marley was sick, we read how Ramona threw up in class and had to come home. Like Ramona, Marley has had a few challenges buckling down in class. We felt grateful that Marley's teacher doesn't find her to be "a nuisance," like Ramona's.
We read the final chapter last night. To anyone who remembers it, you'll recall how (spoiler alert!) Ramona is suspicious and annoyed of the old man in the Whopper Burger who salutes her. She scowls at him through dinner despite his friendly winks. Ramona's family is relieved to be out of the house, where they have been sulking about everything from finances to lost privileges all day long. The Quimbys promise to "smile and enjoy ourselves if it kills us."
Turns out, the funny-looking saluting stranger secretly pays for their dinner bill and slips out quietly. Why? "Because he said you are such a nice family and because he misses his children and grandchildren," the waiter told the Quimby's, who had been sour at each other in the hours prior. The family leaves the restaurant in silence and drive home: "That man paying for our dinner was sort of like a happy ending," remarked Beezus, as the family, snug in their car, drove through the rain and dark toward Klickitat Street. "A happy ending for today," corrected Ramona.
There are three things I like about this story. One, the stranger does a good deed despite receiving a return scowl. Two, the recipients of the good deed are humbled by this act, which becomes their "happy ending." And three, I just can't help but think how very timely it was to read that last night.
OK...and fourth, I'll bet the kookie old stranger did not spend hours fretting about whether or not he was prepared to pay for the Quimby's dinner. He did it. He did it because they were nice. Can I get my kookie on during Lent?
Is being kookie the key?
After Chamblin Book Mine and a brisk school pick-up, I landed next at the dentist office. While the kids were having their teeth cleaned, I pulled out my practically unused Prayer Book to see if maybe THAT book would yield some inspiration. And sure enough. If I had just stuck to the daily readings, I would have found exactly what I was looking for. Today's reading? Another scripture fave that is posted in my kitchen, not far from my desk: Psalm 25. Here's my favorite verse:
Show me your ways, LORD,
teach me your paths.
5 Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my Savior,
and my hope is in you all day long.
6 Remember, LORD, your great mercy and love,
for they are from of old.
7 Do not remember the sins of my youth
and my rebellious ways;
according to your love remember me,
for you, LORD, are good.
Lesson learned? Looking in the prayer book each day for some prayerful, serendipitous inspiration — NOT Chamblin's. An apre dentist visit to Lindsey's house yielded another good source: The Prayer of Jaabez: Breaking Through to the Blessed Life. More to come on this most inspiring book. Examples of "professional do-unto-otherers" are right under our noses. I guess we just have to be open and receptive to them.
Another coincidence from the past 24 hours? In today's Times-Union, at the bottom of the Metro section, there is an awesome story about a woman who funds a brain tissue storage in honor of her late mother. Read it. Even in this woman's darkest hour of losing her mother, she thinks, "how can I turn this around. How can this help others?"
Mother's unselfish attitude paid forward
Here's a great story from NBC Nightly News tonight. Geez, examples of doing unto others are right in plain sight, ya'll! I am a total 6:30 p.m. sit-on-the-couch-with-good-posture-to-watch-the-news gal. It is relaxing for me — and today, it was convicting! As evidenced in tonight's segment by Anne Thompson, doing for others is not just Christian, or American or exclusive to one race, religion or area. It's a global, human act. Just look how hard it is for the man at the end to contain his sheer happiness when asked how he feels when he sees all of these people eating a plate of his food. His reaction is pure joy! It is intoxicating:
Making a Difference: Refugees of revolution take cover in Tunisia
(Herein lies another source of inspiration...check out this NBC News series, Making a Difference while you're there. Such amazing stories! Check them out if you dare...)
One last coinky-dink from today. I was doing some research for a newspaper story about McKenzie Noell Wilson Foundation. McKenzie was a Bolles School sophomore who died from an illness last year. Her family has established a foundation in their daughter's name, supporting an annual run and several other initiatives. I was clicking around on their new website and found this. It was inspiring to see that the idea of "doing unto others" can be inspired by one person — and perpetuated. I hope this initiative, Random Acts of Kindness catches on locally — it is worthy:
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