Ring And Run
Ring and Run
The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.
Proverbs 11:25
Our church has a wonderful Mother’s Day tradition. The church buys coffee gift cards and candles and lines them up along the front of the sanctuary. Midservice, each mom is invited to come forward and select one (or several) of the candles and gift cards—the only requirement being that she must prayerfully gift her choice to another mother in her life.
I love this tradition. It is an opportunity for mothers to bless other mothers, and the stories that trickle back are priceless. These gifts have found their way to grieving moms, single moms, brave moms, and moms who simply needed to know that they are loved.
This year, my daughter asked if she could help me select a candle, and so we both walked forward to sniff and giggle and collect our candle loot. Upon arriving home, I put the candles on the small table between my living room and kitchen—at the busiest intersection in my house—so that I would be continually reminded to pray about who should receive the gifts.
My friend’s face floated into my mind as I walked down our steps and caught a glimpse of the candles. This friend is a gracious, loving woman who’d had a tough winter and needed some encouragement. I packaged the candles and gift card in a cute gift bag, wrote her a note of encouragement and prayer, and then slipped into my car to make a clandestine delivery.
I pulled into the back alley of her house, hoping to hang the bag on her doorknob and slip away without being caught. Alas, her son rounded the corner of the house in the midst of some imaginary game and busted me, letting his mom know that I was in their backyard.
As my friend and I chatted on her back steps, we chuckled about my foiled attempt at a “ring and run”—a phrase I’d never heard before but that perfectly summed up my attempt to be sneaky.
I didn’t stay long, but our chat warmed my heart as I hopped back into my car and went about a busy day. Providing refreshment to others often results in my feeling just as refreshed.
— Today’s Act of Kindness —
Surprise a friend with a “ring and run” act of kindness.
From the book
