Just What a Person Should Do

Since my mother’s recent death, I have thought of the many, many compliments she received (even before her death) for her accomplishments and qualities - her fundraising efforts, her skill for listening and encouraging others, her joy in meeting new people and children and making them feel special (because they were/are special), her thoughtfulness in sharing with others (camellias & gardenias; bread and plum pudding).

But I also think about how she did not understand why she was receiving such compliments. These acts of kindness were “what a person should do to help others”. You have probably heard the phrase about “random acts of kindness”, but her kindnesses to others were not usually random; they were intentional because that was what a person should do.

The environment we grow up in and are surrounded with effects our character, morals, values, and how we view the world around us. Born in 1921, Mom grew up during the depression. She and everyone else valued what possessions they had, and they cared for/repaired them so that they would last. There was no money to buy a new one. But this greatest generation took care of each other whether as a neighbor, community or nation during WW II. They sacrificed in order to take care of each other so this was the environment my mother grew up in. Taking care of others was “just what a person should do”.

At Mom’s service, I shared this. There are so many people carrying out wonderful acts of kindness to help others, but I suggested that maybe we could do just a little more to serve others as a way of honoring Mom’s memory. And believe me, I know that I am talking to myself FIRST!

I recently attended the Whole Woman Conference in Halifax County where the theme was "Press Pause". In Exodus 3, God had Moses in the wilderness (think burning bush) instead of Pharoah's palace so that Moses could hear God and his plan for freeing His people. If he had been in the palace, he would have been "living it up" in the good life and would not have heard God calling or maybe never been called by God. We need to "Press Pause" during our lives in order to subtract some distractions from our lives so we can hear God.

When I say “do a little more”, this does not always mean to add another committee meeting or project or volunteer opportunity. While those may be beneficial, I don’t believe that we need to necessarily “add more duties” to our days. To do a little more can mean more time for studying God’s Word, praying/talking to the God who listens, reading faith-based books, calling others, sending a card or a text to someone who needs it right then, meeting a friend at a local coffee shop to share/encourage/laugh.

May we all be led by the Holy Spirit to do these simple kindnesses which can mean so very much to others! May we remember that it is “just what a person should do”.

Thanks, Mom! Love you!!

Thanks for stopping by,

Rachel