My community is currently under a “boil water” restriction, which was only supposed to last for a day or two, but today’s already day five, and apparently this might last up to two weeks they say. We even made Fox News! A water main break over the weekend the culprit, we’re now narrowed down from a few surrounding communities to just mine – and it’s really not that big of a deal, because I’ve got enough bottled water for a few days, and take my empty bottles to work and fill them to return home. I make my oatmeal with bottled water in the morning, use paper plates, bowls, silverware, and cups, and if I feel like it, I can just go eat somewhere outside of my zip code.
And you know what they say – This too shall pass!
Tonight, however, my friend Sharon invited me to dinner at her home after work. I FINALLY got to meet her daughter I’ve heard about for years and years! What a TREAT! We had a lovely meal on the patio, surrounded by several different kinds of trees that hovered over and around us like a blanket – including a sycamore that is 250 years old and almost seems to stand guard over the entire house! The softest and most beautiful chimes I’ve ever heard made music while we caught up on each others’ lives, and after we visited, Sharon and her family walked me out to my car with lunch for tomorrow, some delicious zucchini bread, and some bottled water. This is the same friend who came over one day with hundreds of beautiful hand-made dresses for all the little girls I was going to visit in Brazil. My friend is so thoughtful!
I came home thinking to myself that going two years in between visits with friends is just wrong. This is not going to happen again!
Then I pulled into my garage at home, went out on the front porch to water the flowers and found a case of water bottles by the front door. No note. No text or phone call. Nobody fessing up to this act of kindness. Did I mention I know some awfully kind people?
I texted a few friends I immediately thought might have been the angels, but so far – no confessions!
And whoever the sweet friend is, will probably never confess, because I have the kindest and most thoughtful friends, and I can’t think of one of them who would want the recognition. And the sweetest thing is, that I can think of at least a dozen people who may be guilty, but I’ll probably never know. (Sharon is one of them, but she’s got three alibis tonight!)
So… to whoever generously brought me water tonight – Thank you! I love ya! (That was fun, and sneaky!)
And to Sharon and family… My belly and my heart are full tonight because of you! I love you!
“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. Matthew 6:1-4 ESV
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