(Call Out) What You Can Do

Give them Peace.

Thanks for Peace

Even though yesterday was Thanksgiving, in our situation, every day and almost every prayer includes thanking God for something.

Thanks to Marcy, I start each day by walking out back to let the dogs do their business and thanking God for the ability to do that: to walk, to have a home and an “out back,” and to take a breath without a venitlator.

And in our situation, we often thank God’s “agent” as well – the person who brings God’s gifts to us. For yesterday’s festivities, it included Kelvin’s family for the fried turkey and fixin’s, my cousin Julie’s family for the Honey Baked Ham, and Marcy’s sister Laura for driving here from Illinois with her family and the traditional family “must haves.”

But last week we received a gift certificate to Publix in the mail, I’m sure in anticipation of Thanksgiving.

The card was unsigned and there was no return address. It was postmarked Nashville, I didn’t recognize the writing, and it had to be from someone who knows us well enough to know we use Publix as our convenience store.

It made me wonder who sent the card and why they didn’t say who they are. Maybe they don’t want any awkwardness next time I see them: they Don’t want me to go to the trouble of thanking them or they don’t want their feelings hurt if I don’t say thanks.

Maybe the card is from someone I have wronged somehow. Maybe I didn’t thank them enough or we have had some sort of conflict but they still want to help the family. Or maybe we’ve never met and never will meet, they just heard about us from a friend or the Internet. Maybe they were thinking of Matthew 6:3-4: “But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.”

Then I remembered that praying with thanksgiving turns anxiety into peace. Paul said in Philippians 4:6-7, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

So I just thanked God for this anonymous gift this Thanksgiving. And maybe that peace is all the giver wanted me to have.

If you know someone in need, give them something everyone can use, like a gift card. Whether you give your name or not, you can create your own Thanksgiving – they’ll know where it came from.

Every Day Is Precious is a column to remind us to treat everyone we see today as if it could be the last time we see them. It is written by Rob Payne, whose wife, Marcy, was diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) in August of 2000. Now 44 years old, she has gone from winning 5 and 10K races to being quadriplegic and on a ventilator at home. For a collection of these columns in book form, more ways to help others, more about Marcy, or to receive email updates on her condition, visit www.EveryDayIsPrecious.com. Readers may contribute to her care by sending donations to Every Day Is Precious, 2051 Harvington Drive, Franklin, TN, 37069.

If you have helped someone without being asked, or know of someone who has, share it with others. Send to rob@everydayisprecious.com or to Every Day Is Precious, 2051 Harvington Drive, Franklin, TN. 37069.