Beyond The Thought

It's just a thought. Sometimes fleeting. Often ignored. You know the kind of thought I mean..."Maybe I should give my friend a call or send an email..." You have those kinds of thoughts sometimes don't you? What do you do with them? Do you ever go beyond the thought? If so, what kinds of responses have you had?

Sometimes when I get those kinds of thoughts, I make excuses not to act on them. I feel foolish for even thinking them. Why, I ask myself, would I do that? On the occasions when I want to investigate that response rather than make the question hypothetical, I come up with some pretty good responses...

1. Because if I'm having that thought, there's probably a reason.

2. That reason might be God-inspired and directed.

3. It's the kind of thing I do; it's part of who I am.

4. It wouldn't hurt to do it.

Most times when I follow through on those thoughts, I get a positive response. The truth is that people appreciate being thought of. Not only that, it's amazing how often the thought comes at a time the person on your heart/mind really needs the encouragement that comes from your action whether it's a call, card, email or kind gesture.

You know that Bible verse that talks about doing to others what you would like to have done to you? (Luke 6:31 if you'd like to look it up.) When you are having a rough day, need some help making a difficult decision or are wondering how to proceed in a sticky situation - would you appreciate getting a phone call, email or note from a caring friend? Would you like to have someone deliver a meal or a goodie when things are simply crazy in your life? Have someone remind you how special you are to them? I've been on both sides of this situation; I've really appreciated the contact and I've been blessed by the response I've had from others when I've been the one doing the contacting.

Those of you who know me know that my pontifications often come out of personal experience and this is no exception. Last night I picked up my friend at Pearson International Airport as she came back to Canada after 10 months teaching overseas. As she was leaving this morning my friend told me how much she appreciated my ongoing contact; having a connection with someone back home was a huge boost for her. To me, it did not feel like I had done much and I know I could have done more but to my friend, it meant a lot. You know what's interesting? What I did was quite simple, not terribly time consuming and certainly not very expensive.

As Esther drove away I decided - yet again - to be better at paying attention to and acting on the thoughts I have about doing something that would encourage and/or uplift someone else. This blog post is one step in that direction. I hope that you will pay close attention next time you feel the prompting to do something for someone else.

Do me a favour - let me know how it goes? Thanks!