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Thank You!
(by Gary Godfrey - March 11, 2008)
It doesn’t seem enough, to just say Thank you!
The response to my plea for Allen and Bonnie Grise was tremendous! I plan to take the $4,120 to them some time this afternoon.
God must be beaming all over -- you all know that He loves a cheerful giver!
The Grise family and sister Tina appreciate you too! All of them have told me personally, through notes and the telephone. Bonnie even came into our office with a Thank You note.
To say that my Valley Echo readers are generous, would be a foul! They were fantastic! We received everything from $5 to $1,000. In all, we had 32 donations. One of my readers put it this way: “Gary, just think, if everyone in your circulation area gave just $5 per household (10,211) that would be $51,055.
When someone puts it that way, it doesn't seem to hard of a goal to achieve. Everyone out there can afford $5. To date everyone that has listened to their hearts has given $4,120. And this is just 32 donors.
For everyone who thought of giving, but didn’t -- remember God is the God of second chances. Listen to Him and send your donation today.
Arens Corp.
PO Box 69
Covington, OH 45318
Attn: Grise Fund
We even had one donor, who gave the Grise’s a half of beef, to fill their freezer.
This week’s bottom line: A short story, to make you think.
A Random Act of Kindness I Witnessed
by Jan L.
(Massachusetts, USA)
I went to visit my daughter, in Philadelphia. She was living there with her husband who was a medical student at UPenn. They lived in campus housing, which actually was a dilapidated old Victorian house, with separate apartments for students.
They lived on the 3rd floor, which meant a lot of walking up and down, especially with groceries, etc..
During my visit, I saw a down-trodden view of the City of Brotherly Love. Lots of run-down buildings, much poverty and tough neighborhoods.
We were walking along the street and I began to pass right by a beggar who was sitting on the sidewalk. My daughter reached into her bag and gave him some money, saying "God bless you!" and he thanked her. The mother in me thought "Why reward someone begging like that?"
I was working full-time then, and saw that there were no shortage of beggars on the city streets. Still, I admired my daughter's sincere offering to this down-and-out man.
My daughter was working as a waitress at the time, helping to supply food, etc...while her husband studied all day and into the nights. Their first baby was born while they were in Philly; and only after a few months did she divulge to me that things were so tight that she sometimes washed her laundry in plain water, as she had no money for detergent.
I was aghast. Since I worked, I tried to send her money most weeks to help them get through those sparse 4 years in Philly.
I thought of my daughter handing change to a beggar on the street so cheerfully, when she could have used it herself.
Well, they came home to Boston from Philly after my son-in-law graduated and he studied in Boston to specialize in his field. They now have a big, beautiful home, two lovely, healthy children and have a good life.
When I see her life now, every so often I remember how she gave to beggars on the street and I hope that (and think that) her "God bless you's" were seen and rewarded.
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