Stories by PayingForward (4 matches)

Hand Ups, Not Handouts

My daughter and I recently started volunteering at a center in the inner city of Grand Rapids.  As a family, since 1990, we've been involved in one way or another with this wonderful center that serves the homeless and under-resourced in our community. Currently, my daughter and I can be found on Thursday afternoons at the center sorting mail and then helping homeless people receive their mail.  Over the years, something I have grown to love about this center is that they do not believe in giving handouts ... but rather "hand ups". Meals are served at a low cost.  Coffee/hot chocolate is available for 25 cents.  Lockers can be rented for $1 a week.  Haircuts can be obtained for $2.  Laundry can be done at a cost of $1 to wash/$1 to dry.  Underwear, socks, t-shirts can be purchased for $1.  You might ask, where do homeless people come up with the money ... Read Full Story >>

A Positively Charged Attitude

"The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude to me, is more important than circumstances, than failures, than success, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearances, talents, or skill.  It will make or break a company, a church, and a home. The remarkable thing is that we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past . We cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life breaks down to the following percentage: 10% is what happens to you and 90% of life is how you react to it. We are in charge of our Attitudes."   -Charles Swindoll                                             May today find each of ... Read Full Story >>

Learning Generosity at a Young Age

   On about her 7th or 8th birthday, my daughter said that she wanted to have her friends do a scavenger hunt/food collection as part of her birthday party. She wanted to give the food to a food pantry to feed homeless and hungry people. So, during the party the little girls went out in our neighborhood on their mission and came back with bags and bags of food that we took to our local food pantry. I remember being so proud of her for being generous, kind and caring.    Fast forward to now. My daughter recently turned 21. She is a college student attending university in Tennessee. After church each Sunday she and her boyfriend volunteer with their church to provide meals for homeless people in a park near the church. Recently they also started a feeding ministry where they deliver food boxes to under-resourced people in subsidized housing the last Saturday ... Read Full Story >>

The Old Lady Who Made My Day

While out shopping recently there was an elderly woman behind me in line. I told the clerk to go ahead and check her out first as I was still organizing my purchases.

After the elderly woman paid for her things, I noticed that she used a cane and had purchased two bags of items. I asked if I could carry the bags out to her car for her. For an instant, she seemed surprised at my offer, but then said with a smile, "That would be really nice ... if you wouldn't mind".  

As we were walking out the door she asked if she could hold on to my arm as we walked through the slick parking lot. I said "sure" and my new friend and I talked as we walked arm in arm to her car.  After putting her purchases in the car for her she asked if she could give me a hug and said how much that act of kindness had meant to her.  I was happy to do it ... she made my day!

A Death In The Sky

Waiting At The Hospital

Every Kid Needs Smarties!

Reaching Out To My Addressbook

A Sweet Afternoon

The Law of Garbage Trucks

Valentine's Day Wisdom

Driveway Turns Into A Beach

Twelve Minute Cab Ride To Penn Station