I started “Tend 2 Bless” after I had read an article out of a magazine about a woman who made a decision how she wanted to celebrate her birthday. She, along with her two children would do things for others. For example, she would leave a dollar bill taped to a soda machine in the hospital with a note attached that read, Enjoy! Now I totally commend that woman and her children and wondered how I could infuse that same concept into my life, but not limit it to my birthday.
I prayed and asked God to give me a realistic idea. Sure enough, He answered my prayer. Here is my background so you will better understand where I am coming from. I am a single women with credit cards I need to pay off, therefore my budget is pretty tight. Like most people, I have a certain number of dollars set up for miscellaneous needs, but surely, I could give up $10 per pay check. I took $10, put it in my purse and began praying asking God what I should do with it? I had a few ideas, but wanted God to lead me to the right person.
Well, time marched on and before I knew what had happened, I got another paycheck. I get paid bi-monthly. It was the day after I had gotten paid when a series of events took place. I had gone back to the area where we eat lunch for work. I had brought with me some leftover chicken and rice. Removing the cover of the container, I started to place the container in the microwave to reheat my lunch. Well, I must have hit the corner of the door with the container. The container went up in the air and suddenly the chicken and rice came cascading down like a waterfall all over the backroom floor. I thought, well, I could use the 30 second rule. No, that would be gross. Then it hit me! Duh! Go to the little shop in our mall and get your lunch there. I love their sandwiches and hey, maybe I would indulge in a peanut butter chocolate smoothie. Evidently I wasn’t supposed to eat the chicken and rice, so let’s go for it!
Now I normally bring my lunch, but there have been times in the past that I have eaten at this little shop. I took my debit card and the two $5 bills and prayed as I walked down the hallway of the mall that a certain lady would be there. She is always so pleasant and if I was supposed to leave the $10 in the tip jar, I wanted to make sure she received some of the tip.
I ordered my sandwich and decided against the smoothie, since my little lady was not there. Then suddenly, she burst through the doors and greeted me and asked if I wanted a smoothie. What can I say? I yielded to to small chocolate peanut butter one. I had folded up the 2 five dollar bills and placed them in the tip jar and off I went with my delicious sandwich and smoothie.
Later on that evening as I was working in my store, the other lady who took my sandwich order walked by, looked in and waved to me. I waved back and smiled. Having had worked as a manager and worker in the food industry, I knew what a $10 tip would mean to someone. It would have brought a smile to my face, if not make my whole day.
Now I don’t know what was going on in either one of those ladies lives that day. Truthfully I am not going to guess because I am not God. But I do know this, God knew those ladies needed a blessing that day and it was my job to be the conduit of that blessing.
There are sooo many people who pass by us each day. We have no idea on what is happening in their lives. Maybe they have cancer, maybe they just lost a loved one. Perhaps they are in a marriage that is about to end in divorce, or maybe they found out that they cannot have children. Who knows? God does, and because He does, then I will ask Him what I should do with the $10.
Therefore I am starting this blog to challenge others to pray about the amount of money, or even time, if you can’t afford a monetary amount that you will set aside each pay check to allow God to use you to be a blessing to someone else. Then please share your results with me so that I can share with others to perhaps to give them ideas. This is not set up to be a bragging session, this is to give us ideas about doing things for others, especially if they are not necessarily a Christian. Maybe a relationship will be formed and later you will have the opportunity to share your faith.
Let’s face it, God has placed us where we are to reach people who cross our paths. You always hear Christians say they want God to use them, well, here is your chance. Pray about the amount of money or time you are setting aside each pay period. Then pray for God’s leading as to what you should do with it? Then share it with me so I can share it with others. I am looking forward to see what God does in your life and in the lives of others.
