The past four days have taught me so many lessons. I feel the need to share them, not to boast but to have at hand as my own personal reminder of what it truly means to serve others.
Last Thursday I drove my husband to the airport, so he could attend a family funeral of our beloved uncle. Later that evening, while on the way to an event with our daughter the tire pressure gauge on the hubby's new truck went off. I was at a point that I was slowing to turn a corner and was able to get off the road quickly. When I went to look at the tires I expected to see a nail or some other small leak; and even hoped I could make it 3 more miles so she would be late for her choir performance at a charity event. Much to my surprise we had blown a tire! In the blink of an eye a tire blown! I took a moment to offer a prayer of thanks that I was slowing to turn and not going 45mph as I was a few moments before, knowing if it had blown out at a high speed this would be an entirely different story to share. I called the choir director to arrange a ride for Kylee, and started to call AAA... then a jeep of 3 young men pulled up and stated they were more than happy to help. I was concerned if they could jack up such a huge truck, they laughed and said, "Its ok, we've got this." They proceeded to change the tire, and in the meantime another choir parent picked up our daughter. I watched the guys change it (in under 30 minutes) and their spirit of joy was apparent as they served a complete stranger, and we were all in shock when we saw what the pulled out of the tire - a coke can that had been run over so many times it was shaped into a spear form that was the size of my hand! I asked for the guy’s names and addresses to send a thank you and they politely refused, stating that they were "raised to serve others." I truly believe as they gave each other a high five on the way back to their jeep that the smiles on their faces and the knowledge that they had done what they were raised to do was all the reward they needed. I am grateful for their help, their servant's heart, and for lesson that Chase, Scott, and Ian taught my 6 year old that day, and it has nothing to do with changing a tire.
On to the event I went....
Our daughter was performing with the Caponi's Cannoli’s Show Choir for a charity event called "Empty Bowls." I had heard of the event yet I didn't know what it was, other than a food pantry fundraiser. I assure you, it is so much more! Empty Bowls is an international grassroots effort to fight hunger. The basic premise is simple: Potters and other craftspeople, educators and others work with the community to create handcrafted bowls. Guests are invited to a simple meal of soup and bread. In exchange for a cash donation, guests are asked to keep a bowl as a reminder of all the empty bowls in the world. The money raised at the South Lake County event is a benefit for Buses 'n Backpacks, events across the world all work together to end hunger and food insecurity.
Our daughter and her choir buddies were excited to perform yet they were more excited to share with us parents what the event means. As my daughter and a friend put it, "we got to eat so other people can eat too." It doesn't get much simpler than that! Then Kylee asked for "piggy bank money" to purchase a painting (by local school kids) to hang in our house to "remind us of the kids who are hungry and how we can help them." I didn't have cash on me, yet earlier in the evening a friend loaned us $10. (I told you I didn't know anything, I didn't even bring cash to "hear my kid sing.") Kylee choose a lovely beach theme watercolor and that she wanted to bid the whole $10 on it, so we did, and that painting will hang in our home as a reminder of how the smallest gesture of filling an "empty bowl" can make a huge impact on our community, on our world.
David was in Oklahoma, I had plans to hang with the kid and go to a few festivals. Then the prior day’s events really spoke to my heart. I starting reflecting on the selfless acts of the 3 young men, of those that started Empty Bowls and the young artists and volunteers that make it happen, and the lessons of one single day made an impact in our daughter... and on myself.
Often I find myself thinking of me, of the fun I can have, of what I want and not of what I should be tending to. Yeah, sure, I give back to family and community and I'm grateful for those opportunities. At times I feel like way too many people comment on how I "do so much." However I really don't. Really. Often I am busy for the sake of being busy, yet many things I should be doing are neglected or put off or totally pushed aside for a day, a week, or even months. Many times I ignore what needs to be done to do what I want to do instead. Laundry piles up. Totes of stuff pile up. Dust piles up. Take-out dinner containers pile up. Stress levels pile up. Thursday it hit me like a ton of bricks! How can I do so much for myself, so much for others, yet be so neglectful of the others in my own home? How can I run about town doing and doing, yet don't do nearly enough for my own family. I go too much. I spend too much. I ignore too much. I neglect too much. I take things for granted too much. It is spring, a time for restoration and renewal. A time for me to spring in action....
I called one of our nephews to see if he could help me with a little landscaping project, specifically figure out how to turn the insane vast space the dogs dig at into a space that would keep the dirt out of the house, and off the dogs! I called a friend to come spring clean our home top to bottom. On Friday we got busy. Tyler and I sought advice from a neighbor with landscape experience, noting I couldn't call David and ruin the surprise. Alex suggested a few great ideas that would work, and be cost effective. I quickly realized how much yard work needed to be done and learned Tyler had the weekend off. Yeah for young strong labor! I realized a friend of a friend could help too and hired him to do another huge task. Kylee was so excited to surprise daddy with our spring landscape project, and I was energized to give back to my husband and to our family in a way I likely wouldn't have contributed much to had he been home. Over the next 3 days our little team worked and worked, jumped in the pool and worked some more. We weeded. We pressure washed the entire house and decks. We cleaned outdoor toys. We fixed a very neglected "fire pit area" that the puppies had destroyed. We planted a flower bed that hadn't been planted in a long time. We prepared the garden, before summer hits and it's too late. We groomed the dogs. We deep cleaned the house. We worked day and night as the "spring clean team!" It took 46 man hours of labor. Yeah, 46! I was inspired, energized, and in awe of myself and the team God helped me throw together to bless my husband. David works hard day and night at his job, at taking care of our home, at taking care of me and our daughter and our 3 dogs and many fish. He works hard to support our family. He encourages me to be a better person and wife and mother and daughter, sister, granddaughter and friend. He supports me operating our family business. He pushes me and pushes and pushes me to better manage what has been given to us, and I often fight him every step as I am too prideful to see just how right he often is. In the 17 years David and I have been together I have taken much for granted, I have taken many classes to help me overcome obstacles, to help me break free. In the 17 years not one has had the impact on me that two 16 year olds and a 20 year old stranger had, an impact that has reminded me that "When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required." - Luke 12:48 <3 Those young men "did as their momma taught them," as a friend who knows them said. Those young men did because they could. Not because they were asked, were told, were pushed into, or because they would get anything in return other than the sheer joy of knowing that did well "just because." Until this past weekend I for one couldn't remember the last time I did that for my own family.
Again I say, to Scott and Chase and Ian, thank you... for the lesson you taught our 6 year old, and her mother. Thank you for helping me to remember what it means to not have an empty bowl. May your own overflow.
<3 Melinda
