I'm cheating a bit today and using something from yesterday as a way of completing today's challenge. Last night myself and Ash decided to help out some friends of ours. It had been a bit of a disaster day for them and we just wanted to offer something to say we are thinking of you and to try to ease the situation for them.
We popped some money in an envelope and in my worst handwriting (we wanted to be anonymous) I wrote their names on the envelope. Ash then went on a ninja mission to drop it through their letterbox without being seen.
Unfortunately our ninja mission failed and within 15 minutes we both had a text message to thank us for the money! They had figured out it was us.....FAIL! Never mind, anonymous or not we still provided an unexpected gift that I hope will help our friends.
I'm not really a flowers person. They are pretty and everything but if you want to let me know you care then give me chocolate!
I'm yet to complete this challenge. There's loads of people I could send flowers too just because, but I want to send them to someone it will have an impact on, cheer up, or just let them know I'm here.
So, if you want flowers you need to drop me some major hints in the next day or so!!
Today my heart sank. The words 'buy the next person in the line a latte' burned out at me!! I still haven't quite recovered from my Starbucks incident the other week so there was absolutely NO WAY I would be offering to buy a stranger a coffee any time soon.
I did something very small and quite insignificant. I was in Tesco's after work and despite just wanting to get home and veg out on the sofa, I let an elderly lady go before me in the queue. She took literally forever over packing her shopping and I wanted to cry when she produced a massive wedge of coupons when it came to paying. I could feel myself getting frustrated but as she finished and turned to leave she shot me a big smile and thanked me for allowing her to go first. I don't know whether she will pass it on or whether any of the other people in the queue were watching what happened but it doesn't really matter. I made her smile and in return I left Tesco's feeling grateful I hadn't had to buy a stranger a coffee!!!!!
Today's challenge couldn't have been better timed. Yesterday we were on a staff away and an awesome guy called Michael Ross-Watson was speaking to us. I was encouraged by what he was saying but I was also challenged. This guy has some crazy amazing God stories to tell. I was left thinking 'why doesn't God use me in crazy amazing ways?' I know the answer....it's not difficult to spot the difference between myself and Michael. Michael spends time in the presence of God, he spends time listening to Gods voice and he makes himself available to God by saying 'here I am'.
I am struggling to remember the last time I said to God 'here I am'. I am busy, there's always things to be done and people to be seen. Often my work for God will get in the way of God himself. I'm just not available.
After reading today's act I spent time asking God to use me, listening to his voice to guide me. I don't have any crazy amazing God stories to tell you but I know that God was guiding me in the moments I took to say 'here I am' today.
I like today's act! Rather than playing practical jokes on people or laughing at their expense, today was about making someone smile in a good way.
I didn't spend the day cracking jokes but it did make me remember our Mothers Day service from Sunday. We were looking at The Good Shepherd and I was co-leading. To add some 'humour' to the service we did some research on sheep jokes and I thought I'd share with you the highlights!! *dont get too excited, they are pretty baaaaaaad!
What do you get if you cross a sheep with a kangaroo?
A wooly jumper!
Why did the policeman give the sheep a ticket?
Because it made an illegal ewe turn!
What do you call a sheep with no legs?
A cloud!
Ok, I hear the groans, I will leave it there!
As a non coffee or tea drinker I don't often make hot drinks. It was only the other day that I made Ash a cup of tea and he commented that it was the 4th hot drink I'd made him since we got together! Oops!
Today I've been to two meetings both held in coffee shops, so I've spent time chatting over hot drinks but I definitely can't take credit for making those drinks! This evening we had a training evening for the St Bs kids teams and I have learned that a meeting will always be a happier environment with endless tea and coffee! I took on the job of making hot drinks and setting up the coffee station.
It has made me reflect on how little I offer to make hot drinks for people. Even though I don't drink them I could still spend 5 minutes making someone a drink to put a smile on their face. So...if you want a brew, give me a shout!
