Three Rights Make a Left

React To Adversity With Acts Of Kindness

Last week I decided that I needed to do something different. We have a good size shed at our pecan orchard that hasn’t been cleaned out in a very long time. It was time that a lot of things needed to be thrown away.

I had planned to do it ahead of the Kaufman County Cleanup which almost always happens in May on Mother’s Day weekend although this year it’s doubtful it will take place because of Social Distancing. But I decided to go ahead and take on the project and figure out where I would take all of the garbage later.

There are seven houses that adjoin our property and a new neighbor named Mike was out mowing on his tractor and came over to talk. I say Mike is a new neighbor. He has actually lived there a couple of years, which is like a decade in Forney Years these days with all of the new growth.

Back to Mike. He saw what I was doing and said: “Let me get my truck and help,” and that’s just what he did. He started loading the pile of junk mixed with usable stuff that I didn’t need anymore, into his pickup truck. When his truck was loaded to the brim, he hauled it off to put in the dumpster where he worked and some of the stuff that was still good, he hauled to “The Farm”.

Mike reminded me of how good people in Forney can be, even though I had barely met him. It was pretty dirty work but at least the weather was cool.

It also reminded me that we serve a God that has a solution to our needs, even when we don’t ask him. I won’t embarrass Mike by giving his last name but I owe him a huge debt of gratitude. Not just for helping me clean out the shed, but for confirming a truth about Forney I needed to be reminded of. People help and take care of each other here.

After a long day’s work, I decided to stop at one of my favorite restaurants, located in Downtown Forney. I parked at the curb and called in my order. I watched the food servers who are now basically car hops, serving food for people in their cars to take home. One particular server, I have known since she was a child and I love her like a daughter. I have watched her raise three kids to be decent young women.

I thought about my own daughter who normally works as a food server and does pretty well at it. That is until the quarantine cost her the job she loves. It occurred to me that even if servers are working, the number of people they serve has to be drastically reduced. So, tip money has to be drastically reduced. As I watched my dear friend, I hoped she would be the one to bring my order and while I sat in my car, I had a “Pay It Forward” moment. I thought about how much Mike had helped me when I sorely needed it and decided to help my friend.

When my order came out it was my friend as I hoped. She was very glad to see me. She handed my and Lori’s supper to me, I gave her my credit card and she went inside to run the card. I had decided that at that moment, I would be “That Guy”. I normally tip 25% for great service, or less for marginal service. This time when I signed the receipt, I added the biggest tip I have ever given, by far.

In this troubled time, if the Lord has blessed you, share it. Pay it forward.