When my oldest son Matt was in college, he spent a couple of years serving as a youth minister for a small church on the outskirts of the town where he went to school. In addition to his youth ministry responsibilities, occasionally Matt was given the opportunity to deliver the message to the congregation on a Sunday morning. And when Matt preached, I made every effort to make the two-hour trek to Manhattan to hear my son speak. Though I can't remember his subject matter for most of his sermons, I do remember one very special Sunday when Matt talked about how much a person's life could change in a matter of only a few moments. I can't remember all of the examples he used at the beginning of his sermon, but I will never forget the final one ... he talked about the night my mom passed away. My son spoke about how his life forever changed when he answered a call from his brother Brad, a call to let him know that his Granny had slipped away as she napped in her favorite chair. I remember the tears that filled my eyes as my son spoke of Mom, and I remember the tears that filled his own. I remember him looking at me and saying, "Mom, you have to stop crying or I'll never get through this." I remember trying so hard not to cry, and I remember the tears that just would not stop, my son's and my own.
Yesterday at work, a friend and I were talking about some of the events that have taken place in my life over the last couple of months, and we were specifically discussing the meltdown I had the day before I left for my vacation to Tennessee in early September to see my family. She blinked back tears as she said, "What a difference a day makes, huh?" I nodded as my own eyes grew misty as well and I said, "Indeed it does." In fact, if anyone would have told me a few months ago that I would be standing at my friend's desk engaged in the conversation we were having yesterday, I would have adamantly said, "No way, no how will that ever happen." In fact, if anyone would have told me a few months ago that I would have been engaged in most of the conversations I've found myself having recently, I would have shouted from the rooftop, "No way, no how will that ever happen." Obviously, however, as He so often does, God had a completely different plan for me than I possibly could have ever envisioned or imagined. And though many of those conversations have been heart-wrenching, soul-ripping, pride-bursting ones, they have also been conversations that have caused me to open up and let others see and feel the pain that has consumed me for so very long. And in that opening up, I've been blessed time and time again by the unconditional love that has been poured out to me ... unconditional love that I so don't deserve ... unconditional love for which I will be eternally grateful.
I've written previously about one of my favorite television shows, Criminal Minds. I enjoy a ton of things about the program, but I love the opening and closing quotes that accompany each episode. They are at times inspirational, at times thought-provoking and at times even a bit sad and sorrowful, but they are always filled with deep meaning that resonates not only with the plot of each particular storyline but with the story of my own life as well. Tonight after I got home from taking Ollie for a walk, I flipped on the TV and was pleased to see that Criminal Minds was on, albeit already halfway over. I was playing with Julie and not really paying attention to the show until the closing quote of tonight's episode ... it was powerful, and it was one I had never heard before. It was one that resonated with me in a big way ... it resonated with me because I've recently experienced "the greatest good" the quote talks about ... it resonated with me because my family and friends have selflessly concentrated on bestowing "the greatest good" to me.
I'm going to close with the quote ... read it ... think about it ... pray about it ... live it. Another quote I have posted in my cubicle at work says, "Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does." Thank you to those of you who are making a difference to me ... thank you for being "the greatest good" to me. Read it, friends ... think about it ... pray about it ... live it.
"The greatest good you can do for another is not just share your riches, but to reveal to him his own." ---- Benjamin Disraeli
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