This Little Light Of Mine

Sometimes you meet people only once but they leave a lasting impression. This is about one of those occasions. It is from December 19, 2010.

Many of you know I exercise religiously. From April through October, I run/swim in my apartment pool. Last year, when the water became too frigid, I ran and used the elliptical machines at the fitness club across the street from my living quarters but they unexpectedly closed in August. That left me with no real alternative but to return to running. Each morning at 5:00, I run in the driveway around the apartments before leaving for school. Eighteen days ago, I awoke with a splitting headache so I took some aspirin and went back to bed for another hour. After school, a day in which we amazingly had no basketball game scheduled, I went straight home and took a nap. Feeling better and needing some sort of cardiovascular work, I decided to walk for thirty minutes through the area around my apartments. I walked out of the complex and had just turned into the adjacent neighborhood when two little girls ran up to me from in front of their house. 'Excuse me, sir,' the older said. 'Would you like some lemonade?' She was holding a cardboard sign with something written on it and she had the world's biggest smile. I apologized that I was carrying no money but she told me that didn't matter! I accepted their kind offer and they ran to the porch and brought me a Styrofoam cup of lemonade which included ice. While their mother watched from the porch, we engaged in a short conversation. The young ladies' names were Bailey and Rivkah but they might as well have been Personality and Charisma. After a minute or so, I thanked them profusely and continued on my trek with a warm glow, in spite of the fifty degree temperature.

I'd never seen the sisters before that Wednesday late afternoon but I hope I run into them again. Maybe, it would be more accurate to say I hope they run into me. You see, when we use the phrase run into someone, it implies randomness but there was nothing random about these little ones. They targeted me, and others, I'm sure, for their acts of kindness. I have no idea what prompted this outpouring of generosity- it was not the normal time of year for lemonade and the temperature almost discourages drinking anything with ice in December. Perhaps it was their mother's prodding or maybe it was just two little girls who wanted to make their corner of the world a little brighter and did so with glee. What was that Jesus said about a light on a hill or giving out cups of cold water? It was a sermon without Scriptures. I just wish I could preach like that.

Applicable quote of the day:
"At my lemonade stand I used to give the first glass away free and charge five dollars for the second glass. The refill contained the antidote."
Emo Philips

*picture is from earnestlycontending.com

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1

www.hawleybooks.com

E-mail me at steve@hawleybooks.com