Today we got together with a couple that I've known for over 30 years. I've known Raymond's wife Valeena even longer than that. We both went to a Missions Conference at Wheaton College way back in 1966.Valeena worked for me in our Christian book store for many years. She served the Lord in Belize as a short-term missionary with Literature Crusades (now International Teams). That's where she met Raymond and they got married back here in Canada almost 30 years ago. I played the organ at their wedding and again at their 25th wedding anniversary. Following their wedding I provided a room for them to live in until they could get their own place.
Raymond was very sick and close to death several years ago but the Lord miraculously spared his life. He's doing very well now.
So, today, all these years later, they came to take Carol and me out for lunch. Raymond insisted on paying the tab! Before leaving my office for lunch, they gave me an envelope with a very substantial cash gift for the Epistle ministry in it. To top it off, they gave us a great bicycle they had bought at a garage sale.
We had a wonderful time reliving memories and praising God for His faithfulness.
So what's the moral of this front-porch tale?
When we sow seeds of kindness and generosity into the lives of others, we will see a harvest in a future day. It may be 5 years down the road, or 50 years, or never...until we get home.
Let's give generously of ourselves to others with no thought of anything in return.
"For God is not unrighteous to forget or overlook your labor and the love which you have shown for His name's sake in ministering to the needs of the saints (His own consecrated people), as you still do." - Hebrews 6:10 (Amplified Bible)
Note: Thanks to pilgrim pal, Debra, for this wonderful photo. When I saw it...I began to relax.
Visit Debra at: http://www.debrasotherthoughts.blogspot.com
Very enjoyable and thankyou for sharing - Refreshing to hear of blessings that people bestow on others --- Bread upon the water -
ReplyDeleteWe all can relate and it blesses to share such testimonies
Dear David...What a nice story!
ReplyDeleteWhen Betty and I went to our school reunion out west last year, we met a guy who used to live real close to us.
I told him that his mother used to tell me that I was her prayer child.
At that time we were going to the Baptist Church...such kind and godly people they were!
Any way, I got a letter from that man today and he told me that he has his mother's old Gospel Hymnal from the Wheatland Baptist Church and asked me if he could send it to me.
How nice it is when people from the past that we loved so much come back into our lives, eh?
Of course Mrs. K is in heaven now but here her son is so thoughtful to send me such a treasure!
And I am happy that your dear friends have given YOU such a treasure, David!!...from Pilgrim Pal Terry
very nice!
ReplyDeletemorning all!
Yes, thank you for sharing. Such a nice post...did I read that correctly that you had a Chrsitian bookstore before?
ReplyDeleteHere's an idea for all the Pilgrim Pals and company to take off with...yes, some of you might need to google this one. I was thinkibg recently about the NHL awards, and had an idea,which brother and sister contributed to. Here are our blogging award nominations (all names taken from NHL award names):
Mastertson (for dedication and persevernace to blogging)...the Pilgrim
Caulder (rookie of the year)...Darcie and her mom
Norris (best defenseman)...Terry, for her constant defense of Brodie :)
Selke (defensive forward--we'll switch that to best all-around player)...Shawn Cuthill...and Leo and Saija
Lady Byng (gentleman)...Passing-thru/Bob for always being a godly gentlemanly example for us
Com Smythe (MVP in play-offs--let's relate this to the real NHL play-offs)...Jel/Janice and her husband for following a sport they never knew so much about 'till this year...the Pilgrim for keepig us up to date all the time...and all the Sens fans who wrote in and kept it all fun and focused on the Lord at the same time!
Hart (MVP to team)...only the Pilgrm himself, I think, is the MVP of this blog...wherewould we be without the Fisher connection?!
Okay, there are many more awards, and many bloggers whose sites I haven't been on, so join in and make you "nominations"...remember that we're all winners in Christ!
Oh, one last award for delinquent bloggers...we'll let the Pilgrim nominate them...
"Let us not be weary in well-doing for in due season we shall reap if we faint not. As we have therefore oppotunity let us do good to all men, especially them of the church..." (Sorry, I don't have a Bible concordance at my fingertips like I used to, so I forgot where that's found...somewhere in Paul's writings)
From,
the lil Pilgrim pal
Thx Hebrew ---- creative indeed -
ReplyDeleteenjoyed that last part - let us not be weary in well doing - someday this world will be "without" the milk of human kindness - men taking the "mark" in order to eat / work - I like what God says - He is not forgetful to remember your labour of love ---