Follow Up/Through-ish

About Tuesday of last week, I started feeling that one feeling (that little niggling feeling that suspends somewhere between my heart and my stomach), but deeper, and more niggling.

I had written on my planner "SNIP" because I knew I needed to follow my own advice and visit someone. I even had someone in mind! But it took a while to actually follow through.

AKA two days.

Nevertheless, two days is a long time when you have a niggling feeling between your heart and your stomach. It borders on guilt as if anticipating that you won't follow through in the end.

Luckily for me, I did follow through, on Thursday night around 7:00. I took a piece of the treat my friend had made. went over to the girl's house (conveniently next door to mine). I saw a guy at the table through the window, though, so I passed by her door and scurried into my apartment. It didn't matter: the feeling in my stomach was no longer niggling, but determined, set, decided. So I went back out, telling myself it didn't matter about this guy, and knocked on her door.

The guy was just a guy--he was leaving as I came in. I set the treat before her and asked about her life.

The conversation was short, just skimming the surface of details about the week. She loved the treat. I expressed my willingness to help her whenever she needed it. Then I left.

Just a few short minutes. I don't think she'll remember it for the rest of her life. But I think it helped.

Point-ish

This week I had two pairs of friends come visit me, each pair on separate occasions.

They may have come on church assignment, but that's not the point. Far from it, in fact.

The point is that I had two pairs of friends come visit me! On separate occasions!

If only we could all understand the influence we can have in others' lives if we just go see them. If only I could fully understand. I know how great I feel when people snip a decent half hour out of their calendars just for me, yet how often do I snip one out for others? Boy, do I need to sharpen my time scissors.

Notes, hugs, and friendly smiles can do wonders, but there is something special about a one-on-one, ya know? (Or a two-on-one, in my case.) A special sense of support. Of care. A person wants to know that you have prepared and wanted to come see them. Or that you didn't prepare at all and just wanted to come see them! Good gravy, if that Dollar Giver didn't have the right idea... We need each other! So take your scissors to your planner for this week! Cut out a half hour, or five minutes, or two hours--just enough time to serve, love, visit, minister to someone. You'll really be helping lift the weight of the world from their shoulders.

Snip.