Serving our family even during quarantine
**Danielle is one of our guest bloggers from our listening area, you can read more from her blog at A Mom's Best Guess.**Jesus and my Nana are about the only people that can say “JUMP!” and I say “How high?!”
So when we were having breakfast (me in the foyer, her at the top of the stairs), she said “Danielle, I sure would like for you to wash that ole yellow stuff (pollen) off my front porch...” I took her humble request as a way to go a step further.
You see, Nana has always served others and done so well! When I stay at her house, she has coffee ready for me, cooks a breakfast, and always checks in with what I’m doing. Conversations are followed up on via phone call or quick passing; you can’t get away with a quick “Hi!” or “Bye!” Nana wants to know how you’re doing. She serves with her hands by cooking for many people in her family still at the age of 92! I don’t know what service means to you, but to me it means taking of your own gifts, resources, and time and giving to another!
I really have a hard time sharing how I serve others, because I think the blessing is in the giving not the receiving of praise from others. I was asked on air with J103 about this porch refresh I posted on Facebook, and thought I would shed more light on the story here!
So please know that me documenting and recording how I chose to serve my Nana is just a personal example of me breaking through receiving from her SO MUCH and not ever being able to fully repay her! And isn’t that true of you too, maybe? Your lack, depression, or even guilt can lead you to serve others? I pray for myself and you that we operate out of service to others because we are filled with LOVE!
Here goes! I took it another level from “spraying that ole yellow stuff off the porch” and scrubbed then decorated and refreshed the wreath. My Momma has a store, and it took some convincing for her to hand over the new Carrot Wreath. Reminding her that it was for her own mother, and her store couldn’t even be open this Easter brought tears to her eyes! A reminder that it’s hard to serve from our abundance but in God’s timing, He gives us the materials to do so.
I hung Papaw’s old American Flag, remembering how he served his country, community, family and for sure my Nana so well (she has never had to pump gas in her life). Mom and I finished landscaping with flowers she would love. According to Nana now is NOT the time to plant gerber daisies, so those sat for a bit in their pots. Making a fresh spot for her to sit with coffee and get some morning Vitamin D, I could just imagine her sitting out there watching cars go by the busy highway across her field!
As of today, April 22, 2020, I have not hugged my Nana for about 5 weeks. This shelter in place order for an unknown virus could TRY to keep us from loving on others but there are LOVE stories everywhere! Just today, I watched a video of an older man going to the nursing home to sit outside his wife’s window and play her some songs on his guitar. Now, I challenge YOU to take the time and love on someone older that is homebound or serve the people closest to you. It’s because of Christ’s love in you that you’ll be able to do so.
You’ll have to watch her priceless reaction here on video!
FREEDOM to me right now means the ability, no matter the circumstance, to love others well in ways that would matter to maybe only them… without needed the recognition or applause from others.