Better to give

Be the Light, Being the salt, Blessings, Encouragement, Holy Spirit, Humor, Joy, Witnessing 2 Minutes

If you see someone laughing out loud in the greeting card aisle at the store, it is probably me. I could easily spend hours looking for funny cards to encourage someone.

Yes, I am that person. The one who has a stash of cards handy for whatever may come up. I also have a box with little fun things to add to a gift bag. There is a woman in my town who makes beautiful mugs and I have her make me up a batch to add to a bag too.

I truly believe that it is better to give than receive. (See Acts 20:35) The joy I get from simple acts of kindness can feed my soul for weeks.

In my last post Hotter Than Africa https://godstillspeakstoday.com/2023/07/28/hotter-than-africa/

I mentioned that there is a young man who is the flagger at a construction site that I drive every day. One day I went into town to pick up a box of two day old chicks, and felt urged to pull over and show him. As I mentioned, he looked like a kid on Christmas morning.

So yesterday as I was driving in, I had 13 dozen eggs to bring to town. I felt led to pull over and be a little silly. I went up to him and said I had “pre-chicks” to show him. He looked puzzled for a moment, and then I opened a carton of eggs and showed him, and he busted out laughing!

When I pulled in a bit so I could turn around to get back on the highway, one of his co-workers gestured to me, so I stopped. He said that this young man’s birthday was tomorrow. I told him thanks and asked if they would still be there working when I got off work. He said yes.

Apparently this young man told the people he was working with about me showing him the baby chicks. It must have made an impression for the other person to recognize me and pull me aside.

All the drive in to work I got excited about what I was going to put in his birthday gift bag. I got so much joy anticipating his reaction when I handed it to him. See, it is better to give!

Well I put in a mug, some snacks, a chapstick, a Happy Meal Toy, and a goofy kitten birthday card. After work I was driving by and he waved, then I pulled in, turned around and handed him his bag and said, “Could be some sneaky fellow with a beard told me that it was your birthday tomorrow. Happy Birthday!” and handed him the bag. His jaw dropped and for a moment he seemed at a loss for words. Then he gave me a big grin and said thanks, and peered into the bag, then set it aside, as he was still working.

The joy I got thinking about him looking at the contents of that bag tickled me for hours.

I learned years ago that it is better to be prepared. Have some things on hand for occasions just like this. That way I don’t have to take time out of my day to make a special trip to the store and shop around for things. I have a stash of encouragement already on hand.

Of course, if I have the time, you will find me laughing in the card aisle, getting the next round of blessings for my stash! I especially like the Hoops and Yoyo talking cards.

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Published by God Still Speaks

I am a follower of Jesus with an insatiable hunger for the Word of God! I am doing my best to be obedient in sharing what I learn with others, with my own unique spin, using the way God made me, linear with a twist!

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28 thoughts on “Better to give”

  10. What a wonderful story and beautiful acts of kindness. I have been wanting to start a collection of cards to give to people who may need a lift me up.

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    1. I also keep a folder I call my “blessings’ file. If someone gives me something encouraging, I put it in this file. Then If I need a lift up, I go through the kind things people have given to me. Works every time!

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