Wednesday, January 8, 2014

The Invitation

Everything you do has meaning including those things in life that we tend to think of as minute or inconsequential. Life is fraught with meaning in ways we just can't comprehend because we often don't get to see the results of our actions (or our inaction for that matter). Small decisions that we make now can and do affect the generations that follow.

 I am reminded of this truth whenever I think about a story my husband told me about a teenager who had recently moved to the small town he lived in when he was young. My husband lived on a farm at the time and decided to go horseback riding one day. While passing the new girl's house he decided to stop and invite her to come along with him. She agreed and that's exactly what they did.

Simple right? No big deal...two teenagers riding a horse.

Roll forward 25 years.

My husband gets a friend request on Facebook from this woman that he befriended all those years ago and accepts the request. She is now married and has children. Not long after this he gets an e-mail from her.

She sent the e-mail to thank him:

Twenty-five years ago a young woman was about to commit suicide when a knock on the door and an invitation to go horseback riding changed the course of her life forever.
                                                                    ~~~~~~~~~

I guess the point I'm trying to make here is that our lives affect the lives of others in ways we cannot even imagine. Because of a simple invitation a woman lived and went on to give life to others. They too will likely have children.

Hmmm...I wonder if my husband realizes that his invite affected all future generations of this woman's line.

This story inspires me when I feel as if the smallness of my life cannot make a difference in this crazy, upside down world. It is an invitation to me as well. It is an invitation to me to look beyond myself and my own little world and see the infinite possibilities that lie within God. To see that no person is insignificant and that the small acts of kindness that we do each day have effects that ripple into eternity.

11 comments:

  1. I have tears in my eyes. Thanks for sharing this story, Mary.

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  2. Love goes on forever, doesn't it! :)

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  3. Oh my goodness, this just blew me away. How glorious. Thank you for sharing it.

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  4. Hi Kathleen,
    How are you? I hope you and your family had a great Christmas and New Years!

    I think about this story all the time - it's one of those that really makes you realize how small actions can make a world of difference.

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  5. Hi Mallory! It sure does! I love inspiring stories :)

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  6. Thanks, Nancy :) Hey, we are up to a whole twenty degrees here today - feels like Spring don't you think? (That's okay you don't have to answer that...lol. I couldn't resist after seeing the funny winter pictures you put up on FB)

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  7. God is so amazing in how He puts the right people in the right place with the right inspirations at the right time. Wonderful testimony! Everything we do matters!

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  8. God often puts us in situations where we can be of great help to others.

    May you and your family have a Splendid New Year.

    God bless.

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  9. Hi Monica,
    Thanks for commenting! (Hey, I joked with Nancy about a heatwave and today it was almost 60! Maybe I should joke around more often? From twenty below to 60...crazy.)

    I hope you are well Monica. I was happy to see that you are blogging again! I have read the books on Purgatory that you mentioned on your blog and thought they were excellent.

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  10. Hi Victor,
    Yes and I'm thankful! A wonderful New Year to you as well!

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  11. Oh my! We are all so very important. I just love the way God connects us together to help each other. We are aware of some of the good God has arranged. I guess we'll find out the whole story when we get to Heaven. I can feel the joy already!

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