A Challenge

I want to put a challenge out there for all my blogging friends.

I am challenging you to *pay it forward* with some type

of meaningful gesture during the upcoming holiday season.

You may not see someone holding

a sign like above, but that does not mean there aren't many

people in need all around us.

I don't know if you all remember our story from a couple years

ago where we were in a drive through and the person in the

car ahead of us paid for our meal. I am telling you it

blessed our socks off and it made me vow to keep this in

mind and return the favor. If I remember right our bill was only

$4 or so, but it isn't the amount that matters.

I was able to keep that vow several months later also at

a drive through.

When I heard that *still small voice* urging me on,

I was trying to rationalize in my head, "but what if I

don't have enough cash" and on and on and I finally

realized I was to do this and I had better get on with it.

Can you believe after paying for mine and the car behind me

I had a little over $1.00 left??

God knew all along that I had enough cash with me

and I am so thankful that I listened to His voice.

No better time than the present with our bad economy

and so many out of work to do a small part to bless

someone else. You will make their day...month...year,

and you will receive a blessing too.

If any of you choose to do this I would love to hear the

stories! May God bless each and every one of you!!

{photo above found online}

P.S.This is what reminded me again today...my daughter-in-laws blog post yesterday. It really is worth the read I promise!!

This past Tuesday the kids and I were at the library for story time. Kanaan usually sleeps right thru it, but Keira really enjoys singing the songs and listening to the stories. Well, story time was over and we were heading back up to the front to check out our new books. I knew that our last books/CD's were overdue (by like a week, ugh) and we would have a fine. I just didn't know how much. I get up there, and the lady says, "ma'am you owe $2.25." And it needs to be under $1.00 in order for me to check anything out. I didn't have that much, but I did have $1.25 in change!! So I dished out what I could. But technically speaking it still wasn't under a dollar. So I was beginning to prepare myself to calmly and rationally explain to Keira that we weren't going to be able to get library books this week - no big deal. That's when the lady beside me in line threw out a dollar onto the counter and said "here, use this." I looked at her and said that it was no big deal, thank you anyway. I appreciated the gesture, but no thanks. She persisted and simply said "Pay it forward." And at first I kind of just gave here a questioning look, but she said it again and I asked 'are you sure?' She simply nodded. I just looked at her straight in the eye and said thank you. I must have proceeded to say thank you like 20 times after that, but I just felt an overwhelming urge to hug her. I think I just patted her arm instead, but tears even welled up in my eyes and everything. You just don't see generosity like that anymore. For a complete stranger. God is everywhere and I saw him this week. :)