Scripture: Ps 19, 46; Genesis 39:1-23; 1 Corinthians 2:14—3:15; Mark 2:1-12
Scripture standout: Ps 46: "1 God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
3 though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging."
1 Corinthians 2: "9 For we are co-workers in God’s service;"
The Deed/The Day: I had a great day, but things got a little hairy in the late afternoon. Funny how when you're in a super rush, you focus on nothing but yourself. I need to do this, geez I need to do that, where's this, where's that. Deeding definitely takes a back seat when there is a to-do list in sight. I might go out on a limb and say it is IMPOSSIBLE to be a good deeder if you have a to-do list. Those @#$% things take over!
Luckily, I found myself in the drive-through line of McDonalds. I had dragged Marley with me to a teacher interview at WJCT and she was at the end of her little rope hungry. The give-you-your-food-gal in the drive through had an amazing hair-do. It was five french braids that ended in five gorgeous ropes at the small of her back.
I have found the drive through line to be a most excellent place to offer a compliment, and tonight was no different. "Your hair is like, to-die for," I told her. "I have dreams of having hair that long and beautifully done." I meant it, too! It was really pretty! In past deeding experiences, I've complimented tattoos and smiles. Why not, right?
But the deeding didn't end there tonight. Poor RB. She had a rough day of deeding. She tried to deed somebody big today and it ended up all wrong, and in the crowded parking lot of Publix — where someone screamed at her. For Pete's sake. That girl needed wine. I also had to drop off a check for some Girl Scout cookies, and I figured — geez, a mom helping her daughters distribute Girl Scout cookies probably also needed a bottle. So I wheeled into the local wine store to hook them up. God must have liked that idea, because He put my brother- and sister-in-law in the wine store, and we had a very lovely impromptu glass of wine together. We caught up, and it was sheer loveliness.
On the way to Girl Scout Mama's house, I suddenly had the recollection that she was a yoga girl and may not be in to wine at all. I panicked. I stroked a check for $5 over the cookie amount and rang the doorbell. She answered — in braces. We discussed. Ouch. The braces have been a major pain in her patootie. She tells me the only thing she's been able to eat was champagne and wine. I tell her, "Hold on..." and "here you go." Cheers! Check! Two deeds done!
On the way home, I dropped off the wine at RB's house. RB is hands down the nicest gal on the planet. And yet, she finds the kooks who yell at her in the parking lot of Publix. Shame on them. Cheers to you, RB!
Deedsclosure: Looking for a deed, an easy one — a gimmee? How about picking up the bill next time you're at restaurant with friends, family or colleagues. Is the ticket amount going to break the bank? Will it put a dent in your monthly budget? Would you feel exploited or manipulated if you ante up? If the answer is no, why not slap that credit card down and say, "I'll get this one." Especially if it's coffee time — buying someone a cup-o-joe is money well spent and cheap! Better yet, pay for the coffee of the stranger behind you inside the store — or for the order of someone behind you in the fast food drive-through line.
I did that once. I was at Krystal in the drive-through line. Yes, Krystal. Ben can pack away five in one sitting and his guts don't even explode! I looked in the rearview mirror and saw our old dry cleaning picker-upper-guy in the van behind me. I nearly dropped all the change trying to pay for it quickly and peel out, but in retrospect —it was sneaky and fun to "get" someone like that.
Giving someone an unexpected treat yields joy no matter what it is, definitely deed-worthy.
Giving a waitress or server an unexpected treat is also an easy deed. If you don't have the extra bucks for a nice tip, write a quick note of thanks or share a compliment on the ticket. I've never tried that before. But a woman wiser than I does it all the time. She even writes a thank you note to the person who cleans her hotel room! Amen!
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