Nobody is born hero. You become a hero when you fight back. Friday April
20, 2018 At times you may have treated God like a bubblegum machine. You dropped a coin in the prayer slot and expected an answered prayer to roll out. Perhaps the answers that tumbled out were not always what you liked. God blesses you with a variety of answered prayers, all sweet and good for you. Taste the flavor of
faith.
Today's Feel Good Feature |
I POSTED A HUGE NOTE FOR THE THIEF WHO STOLE MY BICYLCE. THEN THE DOORBELL RANG.
My bike was stolen a week ago
Saturday. It was half my fault, half my husband’s fault, and 100 percent the fault of the person who stole it. Left with a lock, a front wheel and a heavy heart, I did the only thing I could think of: I decided to leave the thief a little note.
Okay, it was a big note. Armed with yellow paint, I crafted an 8-by-3-foot cardboard sign and hung it across the entire front of my landlord’s Brooklyn brownstone (with his permission). It said:
“To the person who stole my bicycle I hope you
need it more than I do. It was $200 used, and I need it to get to work. I can’t afford another one. Next time, steal a hipster’s Peugeot. Or not steal! PS: Bring it back.”
(For those of you who are not into bikes, Peugeots are fancy bikes that can cost thousands of dollars.)
I felt a little foolish writing the sign. After all, if my husband and I had spent nearly as much time double securing my bicycle as I did writing the sign, I might not be in the situation. But I knew other
people’s bicycles had been stolen in the neighborhood, and the least I could do was acknowledge what had happened. I left it up for seven days.
On Wednesday evening, I got the first knock on my door. Standing outside were two young African American men, maybe 24 and 16. One of them was carrying a blue mountain bike fit for a teen.
“Are you the one who got your bike stolen?” asked the guy, who introduced himself as Michael. “I had that happen to me as well, and I had this bike lying
around, so I figured you might be able to use it.”
I was flustered by the offer and tried to deflect, saying I really appreciated it, but wasn’t sure if I’d be able to use it. What was clear, however, was that it wasn’t about the bicycle, it was about their desire to help. I accepted, touched by the humanity of the gesture.
A snowstorm came the next day, and my husband suggested I take the sign down. I refused — my bike was stolen on the weekend, so the sign would stay up until the
next weekend.
On Saturday morning, I got a second buzz on the intercom. On my doorstep was a petite, middle-aged Hispanic woman in a pink Gap sweatshirt and leggings. She said she lived in Jersey but worked in the neighborhood and made her husband drive twice around the block so she could fully read my sign. When she read that I needed it to get to work, she made him stop the car to see if there was anything she could do...READ
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I learn the story of my parents and take it on as my own. In that way I honor them and lengthen the days of my life. |
STRENGTH AND GUIDANCE
I have been hitting a lot of crossroads in my new adolescence. I am in the midst of a lot of tough decisions. I just ask God for reassurance that I am making the right decision. I
have had such a hard time getting back on my feet and I just pray that soon I can start to feel a relief again. This feels like the ultimate test in my faith right now and it has for sure shaken me, but I pray that it does not break me. Amen -Anjenee C. |
Today's blessing is inspired by Missy Buchanan, Aging Faithfully Thanks to Stephen F. for
sharing
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