Inspired by an 80-something-Year-Old

This has been a very busy week.  We had a meeting series going on at church Sunday through Wednesday, noon fellowship meals following those lessons, baseball/softball games, doctor's appointments, FFA speech contests (my husband and I were judges), several of us fed the Sojourners at QMCC, my husband's work board meeting - just a lot of "stuff" going on.  Good stuff.  Busy stuff.  That was from Sunday morning until yesterday afternoon.

And then there was a Ladies' Night Out (LNO)scheduled in Altus for last night.  I wanted to go, but didn't want to go.  You know what I mean, don't you?  I was totally worn out - didn't think I could do another thing, but I really wanted to go and felt that I should go - just to encourage the ladies that worked so hard to provide the evening for other Christian sisters.

Well, who would have thought than an 80-something-year-old woman would have been the one to get me to go to the LNO last night?  She did.

Wednesday night at the last night of our meeting series this sweet lady asked if I was going.  I said I wasn't sure, but asked if she was wanting to go.  She said yes.  I told her I would let her know.

All the way home I thought about my schedule for Thursday and Friday.  Many things to do.  Many schedules to keep.  But then I thought of that lady.  She's been doing a lot of the things I have been doing all week long.  She's been going to the meeting series every morning and evening.  She had been cooking daily for the fellowship meals.  She hadn't been going to the baseball games, softball games, and FFA things, but she also does things I don't do.  She's one of the Avon ladies in town. She also has another job with a funeral home and sits with the body when there is one for our small town.  And there was yesterday.  And she worked all day.  And the person who passed away is her sister-in-law (both of their husbands passed away a long time ago).

So, I got home and talked to my husband.  I explained to him my dilemna, with schedule conflicts and being asked to go to the LNO.  He said something very simple:  "What's the most important?"  Well, that's an easy answer, isn't it?  What's more important?  Taking an older woman to something she's wanting to go to or going to a ball game?  Of course. Taking her to to the LNO is much more important.

So, I immediately called her.  I told her I would take her to the LNO.  She was so excited! I was still able to go do most everything I had on my list and even saw all of our son's baseball games.  I missed our daughter's softball game, but there will be many, many games left in her life (Lord willing).  I wouldn't want to say I couldn't help someone because of a ball game.  That just doesn't seem right to me - does it to you?

So this lady and I went to the LNO.  I actually picked her up at the funeral home where she was working.  We had a great time and heard a great lesson about choices and perspective.  The theme was, "Drought, Storms, or Refreshing Rain?"  The question raised made each woman present ask themselves this question.  Our attitude and actions and speech determine whether we are a drought, a storm, or a refreshing rain.

I know that the influence this 80-something-year-old woman I took with me to LNO is definitely a refreshing rain to me and to all who come in contact with her.  She encouraged me to do something good - something I should have been willing to do all along.  She encourages others in our church family, in our community and in her own family.  She is a goer and a doer - a worker for the Lord.

I want to be a refreshing rain to those I come in contact with, don't you?