from Ron Rose
May 12, 2008

Preparation

Lori walked past the elderly woman before the image of the moment really registered. Something wasn’t right. That woman was crying and she needed some help. So, Lori turned around and asked, “Are you OK?”

The woman sobbed and shared that she was losing her eyesight and was struggling to find her way home with all her shopping bags.

Lori gently reached out and gathered the bags up in her arms, and in spite of some minor protesting from the woman; Lori walked her to her house.

Simple story so far, right? This faith coaching ministry is all about stories. Sometimes those stories deal with crisis, or danger, or illness, or miracles, or surprises, and sometimes the story is in the power of a simple conversation.

Remember the process here is to HEAR the story (that’s what Ron’s Faith Notes are all about), FIND the story, (God’s stories are all around you), and then BE the story (You have a story to write and to share). Call toll-free 1-877-STORY60 and record your awakening moment.

Now, back to Lori:

As they walked they began talking. When Lori introduced herself, the woman stopped for a moment. “Are you related to a man named Ray from your hometown?

“Ray was my dad,” Lori replied.

They stood there on the sidewalk, stunned. This stranger was the neighbor who had looked after Lori’s dad when his mother died. “My dad had often spoken of her,” Lori said, “but she had moved away long before Lori was born.”

It was an awakening moment that stretched into hours.

God turned an act of kindness into a conversation that made that day a red-letter day, a moment of awakening, and more.

Inspiration

Charles Adams had a famous father who was constantly tied up in affairs of government and protocol. Perhaps that was why Charles became so distant and unapproachable as an adult.

Charles found it easy to focus on affairs of state and travel, leaving his son, young Brook, to be raised by the servants of the house. However, there was one day with his father that Brook claimed as an awakening day, a day focused on a conversation that changed everything.

Charles took Brook fishing that day. There was a pond on their family property, which had many different kinds of fish. Brook had dug the worms and prepared the cane poles. He was ready to catch a bucket full. But, on this special day, they didn’t catch one fish. While they waited, hoping for some action, Charles told young Brook stories of his father and grandfather. He spoke of his adventures growing up, of his travels, his values, his successes and his disappointments. For Brook it was an awakening moment—life would never be the same.

In his adult years, Brook became a noted historian and lecturer who traveled extensively sharing the rich stories of America’s beginnings. And, he always spoke of that day fishing with his father.

When Charles died, the family collected all his journals and papers. As the editor was preparing them for print he found the journal entry for that famous fishing day. Charles was a man who saw life as a series of task to be accomplished. So on that famous fishing day Charles’ journal read, “Spent day fishing with my son, day wasted.”

Motivation

Conversations have power, whither we aware of the power or not. Sometimes we die never knowing the how many awakening moments we have been part of in this life.

There is an awakening moment waiting for you this week. It is hidden in a conversation; so don’t shy away from any opportunity.

As always Faith Notes, is not just another newsletter, it’s a decision letter… Choose wisely and take action.