Comments on: Serving Rolls and Switching Roles (and a Thanksgiving Goodie Give-Away)

By: andieokon

andieokon — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 11:52:48 +0000

I should have read the devotion for November 6 as soon as I received, I would have been more sensitive to what happened that day. I was standing outside Marks and Spencer with my shopping trolley waiting for a taxi. A poor lady with a baby came and was begging and I offered her my food and she said no that she wanted the towels in my trolley to keep her baby warm and I said I couldn’t give them to her and she replied that I didn’t even want to help her. Now that I read the devotion, I am even overridden with more guilt and wish I had given her the towels. We should learn to help out whenever and however we can. I could have easily walked in and bought more towels.

My suggestion is that whatever ever old warm clothing we have, we should give it to those on the streets that have no shelter to keep warm during this season.

By: Colleen

Colleen — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 06:11:04 +0000

Karen,

Thank you for the thought-provoking post. It would be amazing if my family could serve in some capacity this holiday season. It will take some motivation to get my adult sons to participate, though the thought of us working together warms my heart.

It has been a difficult year with my husband being laid-off for many months, though he is working again, praise God! I have dealt with huge health issues (breast cancer) and I am beginning to regain my strength and stamina (praise God again!)

I am very interested in your book “A Life that Says Welcome” and the idea to make others feel refreshed rather than impressed, and to help me feel prepared when unexpected guests drop in. I’ve added it to my “wish list” of P31 books!

Have a blessed holiday!

By: arichmo

arichmo — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 05:14:51 +0000

Karen…I saw you at Hearts yesterday and turned 40 today…I think I’m finally prepared to face the music. Thank you for your inspiration and encouragement. God is using your year of hardship to bless alot of people. Oh, his mysterious ways.

God Bless You, Ann

By: bjjohnson

bjjohnson — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 02:36:34 +0000

Karen – You have some great ideas! I believe in helping others. I plan to ask my boys what they would like to do for a family for Thanksgiving and Christmas in our community. I might talk with the school and see if they can give us a name of a family.

I was a single mom for 3 years and I have total respect for single parents.

Thanks!

By: Michelle

Michelle — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:01:45 +0000

Thanks so much for the inspiring words on the Proverbs 31 site. I have recently made a lot of wonderful changes in my life, mostly by staying out of God’s way & letting Him guide me. I feel so grateful this holiday season; I am living in a transitional home for women in recovery, & although I am not working yet & it might not appear to an outsider that I have a lot to give, I know today that I do. I may not be able to contribute money, but I know my time & compassion can always help someone who has less than me. Thank you for helping me decide to reach out in my fellowship & community; I am going to commit to finding out how I can bless someone this season, as God has blessed me w/ all the wonderful people He has put in my life—you & your website are one…thanks again!

By: Corinna

Corinna — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 08:03:41 +0000

I would like to think that I help those in need. That I act on those impulses from the Holy Spirit. One such impulse has been to write a letter to a parent of a highschool classmate (she died when we were in highschool) just to let them know she has not been forgotten by others. My 20th highschool reunion is fast aproaching and I have been remembering all the good and bad of those years, and though this girl and I were not close, it was a tragic event in my life at the time. Now that I have children of my own I can not fathom the grief one feels in losing a child. I think each of us has special talents for blessing others and we need to be open (listening) to the Holy Spirit for those opertunities.

By: Darla

Darla — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 04:42:40 +0000

I am thankful for our support team. We could not be in full time ministry without them. God meets our needs in so many fun and different ways.
2 things that personally stand out as gifts from God are the following:
- when my kids were little, I was feeling frazzled and not great about myself. A friend gave me a certificate to go to a spa and get a facial and a manicure. It was so refreshing to get alittle time away and to be pampered!
-a friend provided a weekend getaway and then gave me cash with the condition to spend it on me. It was so fun to get the things I needed and a few clothes that I wanted.

By: Heather

Heather — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 01:35:38 +0000

For years, we struggled with money. It was important to us that I stay home, as the costs of sending kids to day care (not to mention the loss of having our children with us) was too high. I learned to be frugal, but it was always a struggle during the holidays.

One Thanksgiving, we were surprised with what was called a “Thanksgiving Basket”. I had no idea it was coming until I opened the door. Basket was a loose term. It was a box that must have been 3 feet tall, and fairly good sized around. In the basket were an assortment of traditional Thanksgiving foods, as well as every day foods like cereal, cans of soup, and more. On top of that, included was a gift certficate to the local grocery store, good for $20 worth of meat.

It was truly a wonderful moment for us. Since then, we’ve gotten past the point of needing help. The first year when we didn’t need help at Christmas, I adopted a family. Actually, I adopted 2 families, but 1 more so than the other, as they were less in need.

I connected with the mother of the family through emails, and while we knew each other’s first names, we did not know each other before connecting for the project. She had just left an abusive relationship with her two young daughters, and little else.

On the day when we met up, we both drove about 40 minutes to meet in the middle, and to my shock and joy, it turned out that I did indeed know the woman. She had been my step-cousin for a short time when my mom was married to her uncle. We hadn’t seen each other in years, as we had both relocated.

I felt so light hearted knowing that we had helped her, and keeping in contact with her. Several months later, I was able to bless her family once more by buying them groceries.

It really is both humbling, and heart lightening to focus less on what we want, and more on what others need.

By: debbie

debbie — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 23:05:28 +0000

Thanks Karen for your encouraging words. I liked the idea of baking cookies for the pregnancy resourse center. I had never thought of doing that.
Blessings to you.

By: Cindy

Cindy — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 21:46:03 +0000

We always did the traditional turkey Thanksgiving. Two years ago my sister-in-law suffered a stroke. You quickly find out that just about nobody has a wheelchair accessible home. Last year we went out for Thanksgiving; just a family restaurant with a huge menu. The revelation was that my sister-in-law ordered steak burritos, an item she loved, used to make at home and might never make again. She enjoyed the meal so much! The traditional meal can blindside you and make you think that is the most important thing. Wrong. Here’s to doing whatever fits your family and brings joy to them.