Service

Service.  It feels good.  Doesn't matter what you do you always feel better after doing it. 
Yesterday the hubby and I did some service for an elderly woman and it felt great.  This time it was different though.  Normally its your average service project.  You know the type where the event is set up.  You come, help out, get a little dirty, talk, have fun, and feel good about yourself.  Those service projects are great but what happens when you create your own.  It's different.

The other day we were driving through a near by trailer park and saw an elderly person painting the outside of her trailer all by herself.  My husband, being the good hearted man that he is said, "We should offer to help her paint her house."  I didn't say anything but immediately start thinking of how hard it would be with our daughter but that it was a nice idea.

Later that week I was riding my bike through the same trailer park and there she was again, painting her house all by herself.

I knew what I should do.  I rode the bike around a couple of laps as I tried to summon the courage needed to talk to a stranger.  After a few quick laps and talking to myself I took my courage and went up to this woman.  Rocky is her name.  She seemed a little hesitant to take my offer of help and came up with reasons why it wouldn't work.  I left as I told her we would stop by Saturday and see if she needed help.
Saturday came.  We got on our painting clothes and headed over to Rocky's house.  When we arrived she gladly accepted our help.  We worked hard for the rest of the day with a few breaks.  Painting with our daughter was difficult as suspected but luckily our friends helped us out and watched her in the late afternoon so we could get some real work done.

By the end of the day Rocky was so grateful for our help.  We didn't finish painting the house but probably took about a year off her work (I am really not kidding).  Poor woman had been working on one side of the trailer since July and just finished on Saturday.  It took her over 3 months to paint a quarter of her house. 
She was so happy and appreciative by the end.  She said, "I wasn't praying for help but you sure are a godsend."  She bought us flowers and wanted to take us out to dinner.  She also said she just enjoyed having someone else to work with.

In the end it was a great experience.  We worked hard but felt great. 

My thought...

What if we are always on the look out for those in need.  Whether it be someone who just needs a friend, help with their child, a smile, or some big project.  Where can we help.  What can we do to make people happy?  How can we help?

My Challenge...

Find a project.  Help someone or something that needs it.  Don't just wait to be asked.  Do it this week.  Let me know how it goes.