Lent Day 7 (Day 353 of experiment)

Scripture: Ps 119:49-72; Ps 49; Genesis 37:25-36; 1 Corinthians 2:1-13; Mark 1: 29-45


Scripture standout: Ps 119: "⁶⁵ Do good to your servant 
   according to your word, LORD.
⁶⁶ Teach me knowledge and good judgment,
   for I trust your commands.
⁶⁷ Before I was afflicted I went astray,
   but now I obey your word.
⁶⁸ You are good, and what you do is good;
   teach me your decrees."

His Deed/The Day: I'm kind of cheating, but kind of not. This deed was accomplished last night, but it was late — and I'd already done Tuesday's deed. Please forgive!


OK, this one is a whopper. After school yesterday, the kids and I stopped off at the Gate station for a treat. When I was checking out, the nice red-headed cashier with the glasses admired my necklace. She called it sweet — it made her smile. The necklace was a random and non-special present I'd gotten from my dad at some point in my life. It's an after thought piece of jewelry that I always liked, but do not wear often. In fact, I just dug into my jewelry box the other night and unearthed it. The cashier's appreciation for it resonated.


It resonated so deeply, that after dropping the kids off at the house and going to the WJCT studios for an interview, I was still thinking about the cashier. Then, the urge. "Give her the necklace." 


My first response, as I was pulling out of the studio parking lot — imagining happy hour — was "she'll think I'm a freak! I buy gas and crap there ALL THE TIME. I'll see her again, and again and again. And she'll think each time, 'there's that freak. The crazy lady. The psycho.'"

Still, the urge persisted.


Despite willing it away, Beast Master cruised home via the Gate Station instead of the more direct route back to the barn. I was about to wheel her into the parking lot when No-Nonsense Me said, "For the love of God, please keep on driving. Awkward!!!." I listened. 


I kept on driving. I headed home. 


I admired how nice the necklace looked when I waked past the mirror. 
"Smart choice," I smiled at my near 40-something self.


Later, I took Marley to rock climbing and returned two hours later to retrieve her. As luck would have it, I needed gas — and Marley wanted ice cream. So into the Gate Station we swerved. While pumping gas, I tentatively removed the necklace and slipped it into my jeans pocket — just in case. The red-headed lady, however, was nowhere to be found. So we paid for our ice-cream and left. Whew, No-Nonsense Me sighed.


As I dug my hands back into my pockets to put the necklace back on, I saw her — stamping out a cigarette behind the store and heading back in to work. There was no stopping it now! I reversed my trot into the store, Marley in tow. I think I screamed, "Ma'am!" (maybe in a shrill tone...like a weirdo). Then I launched in with my story — explaining how glad I was so glad to see her, that I'd been wanting to give her this ever since we spoke this afternoon. I wanted her to have it. Yes, No-Nonsense Me, it was awkward. Kind of.


She teared up. She said thank you. We made introductions. Elaine thanked me again. Marley and I left. As we were walking back out to the gas pump, Marley reached up and put her little hand on my shoulder and left it there. "Mom, that was nice. Why did you do that? That was nice."


Now, whether Elaine will forever call me "super freak" under her breath or not, I could care less at this point. She might have filed me away in her mental psycho customer file! Whatev! The relief of acknowledging the urge was freeing. Maybe it meant something to her. Maybe not.


Deedsclosure: The Grocery Store Part II — So earlier we talked about all the do-gooding opportunities lurking at the grocery store check out line. Today, let's talk about the parking lot. It, too, yields some low hanging deeding fruit.


Always approach the parking lot slowly. Inevitably, there are many cars — quite a few driven by LOLs and LOMs (Lil' Ole Ladies and Men) who may be out for their one and only adventure for the day.

First, let them make that left hand turn they've been trying to make for 10 minutes. 


Second, stop for the shoppers in the crosswalk. Surely there has to be a pedestrian law saying you MUST do this, and maybe there is — but how common is it to see oblivious drivers careening through the crosswalk totally unaware! Rude. 


Third, look out for the chance to take someone's cart back into the store for them. Easy.

Fourth, let's talk about the guilty crossroads we all come to after a big trip to the grocery store: you've shopped, paid, loaded your crap in the car, and now you're tired thinking about getting home for the unload and restocking. And then there's the stupid cart. How easy is it to roll that puppy over to the median next to your car, or hump it over the parking marker — and get the heck out of dodge! Next time you're mulling this over, decide to lock your car and push the GD cart back up to the storefront. It takes two seconds — and it makes it a lot easier for the grocery guy to collect all the carts rolling around the parking lot. Low. Hanging. Fruit.

Lent Day 6 (Day 352 of Experiment)

Scripture: Ps 45, 47, 48; Genesis 37:12-24; 1 Corinthians 1:20-31; Mark 1:14-38


Scripture standout: 1 Corinthians 1: "²⁵ For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength."


Mark 1: "³⁵ Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed."


His Deed/The Day: More progress on finding the 22-book set for the Andrew Jackson teacher deed this morning. A local bookstore says they'll help. We shall see!


Deedsclosure: I can totally related to the Big Guy and his need for solitude. As I type it is 4:45 a.m. it is "very early in the morning" it is "still dark" and I am in as "solitary of a place" as I can find in our house. Our Miracle Cat Charley (who was supposed to die three years ago from a cancer in her sinus) is sniff snurfing nearby. The pregnant fish Marley brought home from school yesterday is swimming around in her new digs. And I can almost hear the moths lurking in some dark corner somewhere — preparing to burst forth and freak me out one day soon. But everyone else is asleep — including our dog Dot who is probably hiding upstairs, mortified that she had a party in the kitchen garbage last night.


I started waking up early when the kids were little. It used to drive me crazy when they'd start hollering bedside, whining for waffles and a diaper change at 5:30 a.m. I tried telling them that mom was a mean old snake in the morning — as if my grumpiness could be overlooked and appreciated by a 2- and 4-year-old.  Realizing the futility of that parenting logic, I vowed to drag my butt out of bed long before  before "the others" did.


I'd come downstairs and sit in my kitchen, much like I'm doing now. While the coffee was going, I'd read a little something from a church devotional or just flip the Bible open. Mainly, I'd just sit and stare and wait for the coffee to kick in. I prayed and begged God to help me not get on my last nerve. I willed for some direction on being a cheerful mommy until afternoon naps. The darkness, the solitude — the quiet — were blissful and life-changing.


They continue to create a happy place for me. The only difference now that running is now part of the morning. Somehow, and I'm not sure when or how, I decided that I could muster a little more in the early morning darkness than staring into my coffee. Maybe I realized that endorphins can be a good friend to raging hormones. I can totally get Jesus for wanting to get up early for a little darkness and solitude. It's rejuvenating. 


Quiet morning solitude is one of best times to listen out for the day's duties.

Dear Teacher

This woman's selflessness does not surprise me one bit. I've interviewed more than three dozen teachers this year as part of the Teachable Moments series — and every single one of them gave of his or herself completely. Just like this woman.

Emails are great, and easy. But writing a letter is super meaningful in today's fast-paced world. Imagine how special this simple, small act makes this teacher's former students feel. It's not rocket science either — it's just thoughtful.

http://dailynightly.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/02/27/10518629-remembering-students-birthdays-decades-later

Supporting an earlier point about the news. Sure, the news is full of doom and gloom. Most of it is not family friendly. But there are so many exciting glimpses of angels here doing incredible work. Next time you're on CNN, or TMZ even, look a little closer for stories like this one. Hottie Brian Williams is a deep well with his Making a Difference reports. Chezeck it.

Lent Day 5 (351 Days of Experiment)

Scripture: Ps 41, 52, 44; Genesis 37:1-11; 1 Corinthians 1:1-19; Mark 1:1-13


Scripture standout: Ps 41: "¹ Blessed are those who have regard for the weak; 
   the LORD delivers them in times of trouble. 
² The LORD protects and preserves them— 
   they are counted among the blessed in the land— 
   he does not give them over to the desire of their foes."

Mark 1: "¹¹ And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased."¹² At once the Spirit sent him out into the wilderness, ¹³ and he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted^[g] by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and angels attended him."



His Deed/The Day: Interesting to think about Lent as being "40 days in the wilderness." But reassuring to know there are angels out there with the wild animals.


Today I looked at the weather reports and told myself there was no way I was going out into the wilderness for a run. In so doing, I inadvertently anti-deeded RB, my best friend and running buddy.  The morning radar confirmed my suspicions that it was going to be too rainy and wet to head out for a run. I exchanged emails with RB and hit the hay for another 30 minutes. Unfortunately, the final call-off never made it to her Mission Control. Morning eyewitnesses say they saw RB running solo this morning. The kicker? It wasn't even raining — the clouds broke for about an hour, which would have been perfect. I wonder if RB is currently interviewing for a new RB.


In addition to writing an "I suck" email, I think I will check in with my brother and see how he's doing with a big case. I know he works long hours, like REALLY long hours. I have heard this case he has now is time-consuming and heavy. I'm just going on personal experience, but doesn't it feel nice when someone else acknowledges that you have your hands full — that you're on tour with your own little one-man-band? Even when that person can't exactly help me, I feel lighter knowing someone else is aware of my juggle — that I'm not slaving away in my own personal vortex.

Deedsclosure: It's a rainy day here in Jacksonville — no better time to share a quick reflection on Rainy Day Deeding. I experience a lot of rainy days in my routine. I spend many mornings and afternoons working alone at my home office. When it's 5 p.m., and I know I'm not going to have any more run-ins with other humans outside my brood — when the deeding panic sets in — I let my fingers to do the walking. It's typing time.


Email can be a wonderful tool for communication. When coupled with a meaningful message you've been meaning to share — voila! Ya' done good! I would bet there isn't a soul out there who wouldn't get a charge from an impromptu message of gratitude, encouragement or compliment.  


Potential recipients abound. Haven't seen someone in a while? Drop them a line for a little check-in. Someone do you right? Let them know how much they are appreciated. See someone looking gorgeous or doing something impressive? Give them a virtual thumbs up with a short email. Love somebody? Don't wait until Valentine's Day to tell them why. Emails take about 10 seconds to pen and can alter the course of someone's busy day. Why not?

Lent Day 4 (Day 350 of experiment)

Scripture: Ps 25:1- 9; Genesis 9:8-17; 1 Peter 3:18-22; Mark 1:9-15


Scripture standout: This is my favorite Psalm of all time...my number one, Top 40 hit:


Psalm 25: "⁴ 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."

His Deed/The Day: Deep down at my core, I am a loner nerd. I enjoy solitude. A day of bliss for me involves staring at my toes with a long stretch of silence playing in the background. The social exchanges I enjoy most are the ones I have with my Housewives friends on Bravo, with my BFF Chardonnay and her sidekick, Cheese Puff.


Today in church I was on a sugar low, praying for the service to end so I could eat. I even ate  Riccola to see if I could suck some sustenance out of it. I was digging around in my purse for it when I noticed her: a church visitor. The urge came swiftly, and certainly. It said, "Hey Loner Nerd...stop being a goob and welcome this gal to All Saints." We hear about this all the time in church meetings: "Make sure you make new people feel welcome. Make sure you get their names. Be friendly."


 Uggh. Not my bag. 


When church ended with our weekly "Right on!" I mustered my social graces and asked her if she was new to the church. (And yes, it felt awkward, and stalky) I was waiting for her to say, "Uh, no. I've been coming here for three years. But indeed, she was new. In fact, she lives in the apartment underneath David's Dad. David and I talked her for a little bit and encouraged her to come back. She said she would.


It wasn't that hard — welcoming someone. Even though my lady friends in Atlanta, Beverly Hills, 

Orange County 

and New York (even the ones in New Jersey) 

are great company for this Recluse-Wannabee, be present with real people yields real connections.


Deedsclosure: True statement: the grocery store checkout line is a portal to the do-gooding universe. Opportunities abound! Next time you're in the line, "checkout" all the deeder BOGOs lurking there. 


First, look behind you. After you've schlepped all your junk on the conveyer, see who's preparing to unload behind you. Could it be a grocery store scooter cart? A man with his arm in a cast? A mother whose toddler is losing it? Don't worry...Winn-Dixie won't throw you out for being a bagger imposter if you help empty someone's cart. Just do it! 


Two, you can consider an offering to the take-a-penny-share-a-penny bowl. 


Three, the cashier often provides an opportunity to tack on an extra $1 for a charity the store is showcasing that month. I used to hate it when the cashier would ask me. I felt annoyed, and pressured. I often said no. Now, I say yes — every time. In fact, I long for the offer because it gives me great relief that a deed for the day was accomplished. 


Four, the bagger. Baggers used to also bug me. "Do you need some help out to your car?" My immediate internal response was always something like, "Does it LOOK like I need help out to my car? I'm not 40 yet, buster! I can handle it!!!" Now, I say yes. I started imagining how much it probably sucks to stand there and bag groceries for long stretches. How nice must an opportunity to go outside and breathe fresh air be? So that's what I assume now. I assume that this person wants a break — maybe it's nice to provide someone a few minutes to walk around, get some sunlight and feel like they helped some old lady out to their car. 

Lent Day 3 (Day 349 of experiment)

Scripture: Ps 30, 32, 42, 43; Ezekiel 39:21-29; Philippians 4:10-20; John 17:20-26


Scripture standout: Phillippians 4: "¹³ I can do all this through him who gives me strength."


His Deed/The Day: I am doing the laundry of two talented strangers this morning. Part of the gig when the American Boychoir comes to town is that you offer to do their laundry. Arnob had lots. And both boys wanted their beautiful, signature, red sweaters washed.


I couldn't do it.


Those two gorgeous red sweaters with "American Boychoir" embroidered with swirls and majesty on the left breast screamed laundry disaster to me. I had visions of returning them to the church this morning in tears — in sweaters three sizes to small, with pink T-shirts on underneath. I imagined them pointing at me, bawling and the director screaming, "Woman, what have you done?!!!!" I shuttered to think of my banishment from the church.


It was washroom paralysis. So I washed the boxers, T-shirts, socks and pants. But I threw the red sweaters in the dryer with a couple of sweet smelling sheets. Two eighth grade boys will never know the difference, I am sure.


Deesclosure: Sometimes it feels abnormal and too prescribed to make a deed happen each day. But maybe it's being conscious of it that is helpful. It takes training to pull our eyeballs off ourselves. Maybe a do-gooding experience doesn't emerge, but at least there's awareness of it.

Lent Day 2 (Day 348 of experiment)

Scripture: Ps 15; Acts 1:15-26; Philippians 3:13-21; John 15:1, 6-16


Scripture standout: Philippians 3: "But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,"


John 15: "¹² My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. ¹³Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends."


His Deed/The Day: I was asked to speak to a 4th grade reading/writing class at Windy Hill Elementary School today by one of the Teachable Moments teachers. An easy yes! On the way into what I thought would be the classroom, the teacher explained to me that it was not just his class — but all the fourth-graders. We were headed into the auditorium! 80 kids! Lord! I immediately broke into pit sweat — I may have lost time for a few seconds. But thankfully I was able to pull myself together and give a presentation that I hope encouraged some kids to stick to their writing.

I'd bet not too many people know about Windy Hill Elementary School. It's tucked away off Beach and Southside boulevards near that funky dinosaur statue from the old putt-putt course. The kids who go there live in a declining neighborhood and many of them come from families who are homeless, jobless, hungry or don't speak English. Yet, here's this positive little school functioning on an A level right in the middle of it all. In addition to being led by a savvy and optimistic principal, the teachers there are are all loving, committed individuals who adore their jobs and their students. Windy Hill, however, is not succeeding because of who's standing up in front of the class. Windy Hill is bolstered by an overwhelming outpouring of support from the community — neighborly deeding, if you will! CrossRoad Church, while maintaining proper boundaries between church and state, sponsors backpacks and supplies for each child who comes in to the school unprepared. They've built a community center at the school and also stock a school food pantry — 40 families receive sustenance from the food pantry every two weeks, discreetly and with gratitude. Deutsch Bank is building a reading garden on the humble little campus. Talk about deeds — it's happening daily and with vigor at Windy Hill! The school is a tangible example of what happens when a community steps up to provide love, support and basic needs to their neighbors — kids are happy, families are nourished and students succeed on an A level. Got time, treasure or talents? Why not ask a school leader how your offering can help their students succeed?


Tonight, we're housing two boys from the American Boychoir. 

They're coming through Jacksonville on their Florida-Georgia tour and are performing tonight at All Saints. It's a short term commitment — just an overnight visit. Seems like nothing compared to the six-weeks +++ of Solace guests! Several families from our church were asked to host some boys, and it was hard to think of  a reason to say no.


Deedsclosure: Places of worship, schools, nonprofit projects and volunteer organizations are fertile ground for deeding because they are ALWAYS looking for eager beavers with raised hands! But beware — saying yes yields a full plate before you have time to take two steps back! Other places ripe for do-gooding include public areas, airports, shopping areas, restaurants and stores — there are plenty of opportunities to hold doors, pick up things that fall on the ground or tell someone how nice they look. Your email, Facebook and nonprofit websites are also rich. They make it easy to reach out and show someone a little love — especially when it's bedtime and you've been a slacker deeder. (I speak from many nights of experience!)

Lent Day 1 (Day 347 of experiment)

(Cliffhanger...what a great movie! Love me some Sly Stallone on the mountaintop!)


Scripture: Ps 37:1-42; Habakkuk 3:1-18; Philippians 3:12-21; John 17:1-8


Scripture standout: Ps 37: "³ Trust in the LORD and do good; 
   dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. 
⁴ Take delight in the LORD, 
   and he will give you the desires of your heart."

Habakkuk 3: "² LORD, I have heard of your fame;
   I stand in awe of your deeds, LORD.
Repeat them in our day,    in our time make them known;"

His Deed/The Day: So maybe I mentioned this last week. I just wrapped up an interview with a really motivated young teacher from Andrew Jackson High School. Jackson has lots of challenges, but people like this teacher were working hard to turn things around. As we were walking to our cars, I asked her if she needed anything. I told her if she saw any opportunities for me to help, I was in. 


She said yes. 


Then she got all excited and said, yes again! Clasping her hands together she explained how she needed a 22-book classroom set of The True Story of Hansel and Gretel by Louise Murphy. Gulp! I had hives finding the right words to express that what I was actually offering was something free — like speaking to her class. Or maybe buying pencils or copy paper. Worse yet, I might have even been attempting some sort of free ask. The worst.


I shut up and just nodded — giving myself a mental kick in the pants.


Today's deed was to begin researching how the hell I was going to find an affordable 22-book set for this deserving classroom. Amazon sells them used for $.50 a piece, with $3.99 shipping — for each book. Needless to say, I am still searching for options. That was today's deed, in addition to some low-hanging Facebook birthday fruit.


A little lesson: don't make empty offers, because someone may take you up on it. And that's fine if you're willing to make good on it! Just takes a little research and planning on the back end.


Deedsclosure: I dwell on all the junk on my to-do list each day. I constantly consider my own challenges. Sometimes, I think, "Man, I have some problems!" But so does everybody else! Who doesn't wake up each morning and groan? There are neighbors, friends, family and co-workers standing at the bottom of much bigger mountains than I face each day. Daily deeding requires taking your eyes off your own mountain and looking around to see how you can help somebody else on their climb.

Day 346 — Ash Wednesday!

It's hard to believe another year has gone by and it's Ash Wednesday again. And I'm glad you are considering this Lenten experiment.

For anyone just joining in, here's the low down — the skinny, the way this thing roles, the meat and potatoes. Instead of giving up chocolate, or wine (Lord, no way!!!) or Diet Coke, or whatever it is you adore, commit yourself to a little PSS. 

No, not PMS..

or PTSD... 

or the PTA.

PSS. Prayer. Scripture. Silence. 

Aim to make daily time in your routine for a little sit down with the day's daily office, some quiet and some prayerful direction. During that prayer time, go big — be bold. Say, "God, I am ready to get to work today — YOUR work. I'm ready to be your gloves. I'm ready for you to use this bag-o-bones to help somebody else out today. Help me to forget about my own needs, because I'm sure you have me covered. Today I'm your servant. Help me be last."

Then get ready.

You won't ever enter a room or a meeting or a carpool line or a grocery store the same way again. Get settled in your front row seat to watch the good stuff that will unfold before your eyes. When your focus turns from "how I look or feel" coming into an experience to "how is God going to use me to bolster somebody else" in this experience, it's actually pretty incredible.

Incredible — but harder than you might think to execute. The me's have a strong hold — at they are deeply rooted in my experience. It's been more than a year of daily deeding, and thinking about others before I think of myself still feels unnatural. But it's a worthy exercise to try, I think. A good mantra to use is "It's not about me! It's not about me!" Or "Put me last! Put me last!" Or better yet, "Lord, use me to bless someone. Use me! Use me!" Or, the always effective, "It's 5 o'clock somewhere, Lord!" Cheers!

I'm here to tell you, this habit does not just kick in. It's takes constant, and I mean constant, reminding. And everyday still I fall into the me's — and by the end of the day, I often wondering what the hell I did for someone else during the day. Thankfully, there's always a Facebook birthday to acknowledge or Girl Scout cookies to buy or a Take-A-Penny-Share -A-Penny bowl to help fulfill the One-Deed-A-Day Challenge.

Also to note: finding time for PSS ain't easy. I gitterdun in the wee morning hours, usually before I run. If I don't, my day takes hold and it's hard to circle back. Try to make time — whether it's in the carpool line, or when you're waiting to checkout at Publix or when you're sitting at your desk planning your day. And boy howdy do I know that the quiet time is the trickiest thing of all to maneuver. But it is an important component. Maybe it's when you're walking outside to get the paper. Maybe it's 10 seconds between your last gulp of coffee and your walk to the car. Seize the quiet moments, however short they are.

One last reminder: A deed does not have to be earth-shattering, or life-changing or huge in any way. You should not pursue what you think is an A+ in deeding. You may experience some biggins. But chances are, your deeds will be small and seemingly insignificant. It may be leaving an extra $1 tip in the tips jar at the local smoothie store. It may be letting another car turn during traffic. It could be a thank you note, or an email of encouragement or a prayer for a stranger. Not sure what a deed is? Follow your gut and your heart. Through them, God gives you nudges. You'll feel encouraged to act on a thought. You'll have a nagging urge to do something you wouldn't ordinarily do. Listen to the nudges, even if they push you toward something that is way out of your comfort zone. Don't rationalize or over-engineer or study your way out of not doing it. Just do it. Even if it feels so weird or embarrassing. Even if someone gives you a dirty look. As long as it's legal, go for it! Just do it!

Still need ideas? Along the right side of the blog are some websites with good ideas for helping others. I think I called it a Tool Box. Check it out. And if you want affirmation that there are deeding angels all around us, all over the world — turn on the news. Read the newspaper. Be a news junkie like yours truly! It's not all doom and gloom in the media. There's a lot of it, to be sure. But if you look closely, you'll see examples everywhere of people stepping up with deeds large and small. Angels? I think so.

So join in! Get your PSS on and see what kinds of deeds emerge during Lent 2012. Share how it's going on this blog if you like! If it's anything like my experience last year, you'll look back and see how many blessings came your way by making a habit of daily deeding.

Now that we're through all that, let's get started.

Below is the daily "format" of the blogging. As I mentioned yesterday, most of the blogging that has occurred since last Lent has been more in the form of LOGGING. I've been logging scripture (from the Forward Day by Day, the Episcopal church's daily lectionary readings), my favie faves from that day's reading, and an account of what deed I managed to eek out. Recently, I started adding a line called "Deedsclosure," which includes some of observations about deeding that I've noticed throughout the year. Usually, I'll fill in the scripture and scripture standout in the morning as I'm having my morning quiet time, and type in the Day's Deed and Deedsclosure before bedtime. That's the way it goes down, in case anyone's curious.

Here we go...

Scripture: Ps 103; Joel 2:1-2, 12-17 or Isaiah 58:1-12; 2 Corinthians 5:20b—6:10; Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21

Scripture standout: Ps 103: "¹³ As a father has compassion on his children, 

   so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him; 
¹⁴ for he knows how we are formed, 
   he remembers that we are dust."

2 Corinthians: " ³ We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. ⁴ Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; ⁵ in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; ⁶ in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; ⁷ in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; ⁸through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; ⁹ known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed;¹⁰ sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything."

His Deed/The Day: I let an elderly driver make a left hand turn in the Winn-Dixie parking lot when I had the right-of-way. I really felt like I'd scored big time — helping an old lady cross the street! That's the kind of stuff Boy Scouts get to do!

Just as I was about to scratch deeding off today's list, another one flew onto my radar. I called a guy back who left a message on my work voicemail. He could not have been a bigger a**. He launched in to me about how he'd been calling the office all day, and NO ONE had returned his call and blah, blah, blah, yuckity yuck yuck yuck. He wanted back issues. He wanted a reprint. Then he wanted to express his annoyance about not being called back. He called me Suzanne. Oi vey! I could feel my ears getting red, especially over the name mispronunciation.

I reminded myself this was Ash Wednesday. It's a time of forgiveness, right? Instead of getting my sass on, I said a short prayer for him. I encouraged myself to feel bad for him. All this guy wanted was the reprint of a story — about a friend of his who'd died. He and his wife (who'd helped him hang up phones as he moved from room to room in his house while letting me have it) might have been really distraught over this loss. They probably didn't have much going on if they spent 20 minutes of this beautiful Ash Wednesday harumphing at me — for something I don't handle! It felt better to consider things that way. Perhaps today's deed was not following my instinct and hanging up on him. 

Deedsclosure: The best deeds come from a nudge, or a nag that says, "Just do it."

Day 345 — Fat Tuesday (back where we started!)

Scripture: Ps 26, 28, 36, 39; Proverbs 30:1-4, 24-33; Philippians 3:1-11; John 18:28-38


Scripture standout: Ps 39: "⁵ You have made my days a mere handbreadth; 
   the span of my years is as nothing before you. 
Everyone is but a breath, 
   even those who seem secure.^[b]"

Proverbs 30:"³³ For as churning cream produces butter,
   and as twisting the nose produces blood,    so stirring up anger produces strife.”

John 18: "³⁷ “You are a king, then!” said Pilate.

   Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”

His Deed/The Day: We're back where we started a year ago or more today! Last year, I decided to try doing one prayerfully-inspired good deed a day for Lent. I held on to my chocolate and coffee and other vices, but began the practice of daily prayer, scripture reading and silence to prepare my heart for opportunities to be God's hands that day.

It was so fun, I kept it up for the rest of the year — with a goal of 400 days unto others, instead of 40. For the duration of Lent and this experiment, I'll try to be better about actually blogging vs. just  logging deeds and scripture. I've been keeping track as a way to hold myself personally accountable, but also as a way to go back and see what deeds actually transpired each day. Research and data, I feel, are important...but not necessarily fun to read. I'll try to be better about being a fun blogger.

Today's deed was, I guess, cleaning up after the pancake supper at church instead of bolting home to bed — which is what I would have rather done. It was a group effort, and I played a teeny tiny role, but  perhaps many hands do make light work and it helped someone else get home earlier than they expected.


Deedsclosure: Tangible gratitude or verbal thanks rarely follows a deed done.

Day 344

Scripture: Ps 25, 9,15; Proverbs 27:1-6, 10-12; Philippians 2:1-13; John 18: 15-18, 25-27

Scripture standout: My favie fave of all time Psalm:
^{Ps 25: 4} 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.


Phillippians 2: "³ Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, ⁴ not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others."

His Deed/The Day: Hit deeding pay dirt today at the Ft. Sumpter museum! Held a door — for a blind person. Oh yeah!

Deedsclosure: Crowds and public places are the best places to deed. Donations are the easiest way to deed. Facebook the laziest, but not altogether worst.