This story is not one that many people, if any know all the details of. It is meant to show you that you never know how far your little act of kindness will go and how it will change someone's life forever.
So, while I was in high school, I was babysitting for a family that I normally sat for. They were nice enough people... 3 kids, big house, and the gig paid well. You know, for a high school kid, that 40 bucks extra cash... that's awesome... extra money for whatever. Well, during one such babysitting job, the new neighbor came over to get her child from playing with the kids I was watching. This lady from Columbia, MO. She was different than anyone I had ever met. She caught Shannon and me off guard. She asked if we would babysit for her. I didn't know this lady!! Why was she even asking me this? What makes her think I'm even in the market to take on a new family to babysit? She must be crazy. Well, I took the job... but only if Shannon came with me. Little did I know that God was putting that beautiful, crazy, sweet, and loving woman in my way on purpose.
Now, let's fast forward, high school graduate, married AND divorced... living on my own... determined to make it... new job... all new changes... and BROKE. When I say broke... I put the "poo" in "poor". That is not an exaggeration at ALL! I went from a job making $9.21 an hour...getting paid every two weeks to a new job that paid soo much better but it was once a month, and I started in the middle of the month... So I went 6 weeks without a paycheck... on my last check which was $437 and I used that overdraft like it was free money. Thank goodness that someone I worked with previously had an apartment that they let me live in for free if I would watch after the house while they were gone travelling the world. Take out my $150 car payment a month...(keep in mind I would be giving up $300 in car payment before I would ever see a dime from my new job). My cell phone bill. Gas for my car. (oh yeah and I lived now 15 miles from work... so I had to borrow money from my dad once to get to work to get a check) Helping my friend who has a baby with a deadbeat dad get by with stuff for her baby. So all that to say, there were times when I didn't eat for a week because I was out of spam and the pot of gold at the end of my ramen rainbow had just been emptied. Now, back to my friend... this sweet woman who I call my Jewish mom. If you don't have one, you are missing out. Seriously! This is the lady that I thought was crazy the first time I met her. She didn't know me or if I was good at babysitting, but she hired me. She HAD to be crazy! haha! Anyway, she always used to call and check on me. See how things were going and make sure I was still alive, you know. I remember one day in particular she called to see how I was doing... it was a Wednesday. I hadn't eaten in about 3 days... (Don't worry, had lots of water... it was free.) When I answered she said, "Hey, how are you!?" I said, "oh, I'm fine. Just don't feel too good." Then she told me that if I would come over, she would have some matzaball soup ready for me. It was Jewish penicillin after all. It would cure whatever was wrong with me. Well, I knew what was wrong with me... I hadn't eaten. haha! But I would never tell her that. I was embarrassed and ashamed that I needed help. Anyway, I went over there and ate. And she gave me the left overs so I could eat more if I didn't feel better right away. Little did she know that I was able to eat for 4 days because of that soup. And then she called and asked if I could house sit for them and she would make sure I got paid well. Now keep in mind, this wasn't the only time this woman and her family helped me out. One point before I married my second husband, they had a house they were remodeling and wanted someone to stay in so the stuff they bought to put in didn't get stolen. So they let me live there for free. If they hadn't done that, I would have been living in my car because my mom was struggling and I wasn't about to put my burdens on her. She raised me to fight through and win. Without this family and their ability to bless me and help me even when they had NO idea what was going on, I wouldn't be where I am today or have the things I have or the understanding of people who are struggling and the tender heart to help when I don't know what's going on. God heard me and he put them in my way to help take care of me.
So I tell you that story so that the next time you feel that tug on your heart to do something for someone, you never know how much that little something can change the whole course of that person's life. You might be the one person who can help them get over that struggle and succeed.
-Make sure you pay it forward when you can if someone has helped you get to where you have the ability to pay it forward.
{lou}
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