As I take the day off to prepare to speak this evening, I am excited to introduce you all to Laura, a blogger I met a few months ago. Laura blogs at Pruning Princesses, please go say hello to her. Laura has a heart for serving others, as well as writing and teaching. I was touched to read the story below of how she stopped to reach out to another.
Welcome, Laura!
Hello, my name is Laura and mostly I am a STAHM with two young daughters. On the side I do a little freelance and a little subbing. I love to blog at Pruning Princesses about a subject I am passionate about…raising girls to love God in a world that doesn’t. I am grateful to have the chance to share with you about a moment that I stopped and invested in a unlikely friend.
I’d invited Rose to my house for Thanksgiving. I didn’t know much about her: retired teacher in her 70s, no family around, faithful to Bible study. I thought she might be lonely, but she wouldn’t come though. Dinner would be uncomfortable she said.
Fast forward to the following September. It was the first day of Bible Study for the year. Rose was in my small group again. She clearly had thoughts to share but couldn’t put words together. Frustrated. She got up and left. I’m thinking, Go Laura. Chase after her, help or comfort her. But you barely know her and she rejected your hospitality last time. I stayed put.
Rose was having a stroke. Thoughts of Rose followed me for weeks, nudging me to go visit, to pray, to be a friend. But I thought, What if she didn’t recognize me? What if she didn’t appreciate visitors? And when could I possibly go?
It took two more weeks before the Spirit’s constant nudges resulted in action. Capitalizing on a day off of school, I took the girls with me. I loaded my girls and their new guitar into the car. The nursing home was four blocks away–crazy close. Would they let us in if we weren’t family? Maybe we should go home. We found Rose easily, working hard to relearn how to count. The girls played the Twinkle Twinkle. We chatted and hugged.
Stopping to visit Rose that day started a new friendship. I pestered Rose once she returned home, calling weekly and insisting on picking her up for grocery shopping. She can drive now, but sometimes we still have breakfast together. I love soaking in her wisdom from a life of following the Lord. I think she loves our time together too.
Once stoic, Rose always ends our phone conversations now with “love you.” And almost daily, I still feel nudges to pray for her. In fact, I better go call her now, it’s been a while. I miss her.
I am reminded by Laura’s sweet story that when we take the time to stop for others such sweet precious gifts come back to us whether in relationship or not. There are tremendous blessings in serving others.
Can you name a few you’ve experienced?
Thank you, Laura, for sharing today. Your story of stopping is so precious. Thanks for being there for Rose! That’s what it is all about.
Such a touching story, Laura, and a great reminder to follow the Spirit’s leading to reach out.
Katie – you are so right. It’s all about being open and quiet in spirit to hear those small promptings. In the busy world we live in that is hard some days. Blessings.
Thanks for the opportunity to share Alene! I would not have thought to tell this story without your Tuesday Stops.
Thanks again, Laura! So thankful you remembered and now you’ve got it in writing to document through the ages. Blessings sweet friend.