Lent Day 25 (Day 371 of experiment)

Scripture: Ps 107:1-3, 17-22; Numbers 21:4-9; Ephesians 2:1-10; John 3:14-21


Scripture standout: Ephesians 2: "¹⁰ For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."


His Deed/The Day: Passing out cold Cokes as my daily deed was not as easy as I thought it would be. Let's just say I need some practice. When Marley and I loaded up for the big beach outing yesterday, I packed two ice cold cans of Coke in my little travel cooler. I put it right next to me in the car, so I could grab one in a jiff. I beamed with a fresh, new Coke jingle in my brain:

Or better yet...this slightly different one. Check the jeans on these 1979 babes!

My little scene was set for adding some life to someone's day with an ice, cold Coca-Cola.

This is the part when I began talking myself out of all the opportunities that presented themselves like that "bonk the gopher head" game at Chuck E. Cheeze. "Oh look! There's a grumpy looking guy waiting for the bus! He could use a Coke and a smile...but I can't stop that quick so never mind."

We pressed on toward the beach, but it was my secret wish to dump the can sooner than later.

"Look! Whoah! There's a sweaty guy working on that building's lawn! Totally, OK, let's turn around so I can toss this at him....Oh crap, never mind, there are two people actually. Crap. OK turning around again, there has got to be someone else." Then, as I was driving away... the thought that I actually DID have two Cokes, and wasn't I the selfish grumpuss for not offering mine up right away. Sigh. Grumble. I drove past a gaggle of Asian women walking with umbrellas, but figured one — or two — Cokes wouldn't help them much. I floored it on toward the beach.

As I drove 70 miles an hour down the expressway to the ocean's edge, I had this thought: it's impossible to deed — or Coke — people when you're driving this fast and furiously. Hmmm, deep thoughts: when we are busy, busy, busy, zip, zip, zip doing our thing —is deeding unattainable? Maybe.

Surely the drive alongside the beach would provide some opps! "Hey, yes, a bum — who is peddling the other direction. Never mind..." or the St. Patty's day revelers..."Trouble is, they probably want green beer...not this Coke."

I even saw 20 or more students with signs saying "Car Wash for Jesus." And still, I couldn't lose the Coke. I think I might have said dang Coke, or worse. I was tired of scrutinizing everyone as a potential Coke target.

So we went to the beach. And I drank one of those dang Cokes. Marley and I enjoyed a lovely afternoon at the beach.

Yet, the other Coke sat in the cooler bag — now lukewarm and only slightly cold to the touch. It was not the icy vision of that morning. On the drive home, I saw the dang car wash for Jesus kids. There weren't any cars behind me, I was in the right lane. I rolled down the window. "Hey, ttsssssssssss! Tssssssss! hey! Here you go!" I chunked the Coke at her and she said, "God bless you."

Done. Whew! But not easy by any stretch. I'm going to try again today and see if it gets better.

Deedsclosure: Looking for a little low hanging fruit to help you through Lent? Here's a doozy: the newspaper. Most mornings, everyone has one on their front lawn — at least in our neighborhood. I learned this do-gooding delight in the early mornings after my run. I noticed, and you might too, that the newspaper tosser sometimes doesn't get much distance between the street and the front door. That's a long, cold, potentially embarrassing morning walk for someone in their nightgown. Work that pitching arm and toss a those papers on your neighbors' front porch. Know a neighbor who's out of town? See their newspapers piling up? Go hide them somewhere on the porch. Easy.