During the State Fair I had a job with a company to work their booth and promote their products. It required me to be trained in a variety of products and services that I had no knowledge. It was a vast new learning experience for me. I enjoyed learning about it and how it fit into my life and the world around me. Once trained I spent the next 11 days telling the public about these products and services and how it affected them, our economy and our natural resources.
I was told I had good communication skills with the public and found others relied on my knowledge when working the booth. I also found that many visitors to the booth, while learning about the product, would like to share their experiences and also share a little about themselves and their lives. I found it interesting that someone they didn't know a moment ago became their person to tell their latest life hardships or joys. I had one particular visitor who expressed his loneliness in that he had lost his wife recently and told me he was expressing to his friends that they should appreciate their significant other while they can as you don't realize until they are gone how much they meant in your life. He expressed all the wonderful things his wife had always done for him and that he didn't realize it all until she was gone. I met new friends and old friends that stopped by each day.
This experience led me to think about the disciples and how many people of varied cultures and backgrounds approached them with their life stories. I thought about the different areas in our church that provide an outlet to many in need of communicating their grief, their emotional feelings, their financial concerns, and their search for a higher spirit. I thought about how many times we are approached by others that are strangers to us; do we lead them to the numerous resources or do we just listen and figure someone else will help them? Do I listen and offer up assistance in helping them find answers? Do I pray for them or with them? Do I volunteer to help those in need?
Prayer: Dear Lord, please help me to remember that there are those that need someone not only to listen but to guide them either to a resource or finding your path. Help me to lend not only a listening ear but a helping hand to those in need. Help me to do what I can to support those resources either financially or with time. Thank you for the many blessings that I have received in your light. Thank you for providing me with those individuals that have and are there for me in my hour of need. Amen
Lori Hood
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