[The Mayor]

May 31, 2005

Touched By A Stranger

Read:
Romans 12:3-16

Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love. —Romans 12:10

Bible In One Year: 1 Kings 1-4

Marsha Burgess was a complete stranger to us, so we were touched by the note she sent. She knew my husband Carl's mom who had recently died. She had often seen her when visiting her own mother at a local nursing home.

So when Carl lost his mother, Marsha took the time to share her memories with us. She closed her note with these words: "Your mom always had a big smile on her face and was happy to see us. How wonderful to have such precious memories! We just loved your mom. We'll never forget her." Marsha is a Christian, and her words brought comfort in our grief. They reminded us of the joy of being part of Christ's body (Romans 12:5).

Every believer has been given a specific gift or gifts by God to use in building up others—prophesying, ministering, teaching, exhorting, giving, leading, and showing mercy (vv.6-8). But all of us are to "be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love" (v.10) and to "rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep" (v.15).

Sometimes we hesitate to reach out to someone we don't know. We wonder if it is appropriate or if it will mean anything to the person. But that note from Marsha reminds us how much it means to be touched by a stranger. —Anne Cetas

Like refreshing rain in summer
Or the gentle breeze in spring,
Just a little gift of kindness
Joy to someone's heart can bring. —Hess

Opportunities to be kind are never hard to find.

FOR FURTHER STUDY
The Compassion Of Jesus

[luvie]

Thank you for touching our hearts with your daily bread, Mayor! It always makes me feel better by having read it!

[GailA]

Good morning ALL. It gonna be a beautiful day here in Memphis and I'm off and going to my quilt quild meeting.

[beachn4fun]

Good morning, Mayor. Good morning, everyone. A special good morning to our troops and our veterans.

[Temple Owl]

Bless 'em all! Bless all the sergeants, the sourpuss ones, bless all the corporals and their bloomin' sons.Bless 'em all. And God Bless Freepers everywhere.

[Diver Dave]

Mornin'/afternoon to Military Monday on Tuesday at FR's Finest...

T'was a GREAT weekend filled with opportunities to attend Memorial Day presentations in our area. I took in three different events and the best came last. I Got Kissed...

The temperatures were in the eighties as I watched and listened to the speakers at the ceremony held at Lakewood Memorial Park. Flags had been place on all veterans gravesites. Large flags were place along all the pathways - flags which once covered the caskets of local veterans were donated to the cemetery in memory of family members who served in our Armed Forces. As one speaker noted, there is nothin' that looks better than those beautiful red, white and blue colors.

Towards the end of the program, a slight breeze came up and caused those flags to gently flutter. That's when I got "the kiss." Old Glory, on the pole next to me, reached out an kissed me on the cheek.