1 Peter 4:10 “Like good stewards of the manifold grace of
God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received.”
Yesterday I wrote about how happy I was to see my 4th grade teacher at a gathering last Thursday of classmates from Gentian Elementary School in Columbus, GA. I was able to thank her for her influence on me. Another classmate then shared a marvelous “thank-you” story. Here’s how I remember it. He was serving as a young naval doctor in Okinawa when he treated an even younger sailor for a broken toe. They connected because the sailor was from Minnesota and so was my friend’s father. After some time, he saw this same young guy for more serious problems. He had undergone a Navy physical and nothing was detected but my classmate was able to discover that the young man was suffering from advanced prostate cancer. Over the years he occasionally wondered what happened to that young sailor – if he made it or not. Several weeks ago-- 42 years later my classmate received a phone call. It was the sailor calling from Minnesota! The man said, “I need to thank you for saving my life.” My classmate said it wasn’t really necessary but the man insisted. He said it had to be done in person. “But I live in Georgia,” my friend said. “It doesn’t matter” was the reply. The man and his wife came to Georgia and spent a week here. As a matter of fact they left for home last Wednesday. The man has some heart problems now but he has already lived 42 years longer than he might have. He is blessed to live with an attitude of gratitude and that he, too was able to say thanks across the miles.
Yesterday I wrote about how happy I was to see my 4th grade teacher at a gathering last Thursday of classmates from Gentian Elementary School in Columbus, GA. I was able to thank her for her influence on me. Another classmate then shared a marvelous “thank-you” story. Here’s how I remember it. He was serving as a young naval doctor in Okinawa when he treated an even younger sailor for a broken toe. They connected because the sailor was from Minnesota and so was my friend’s father. After some time, he saw this same young guy for more serious problems. He had undergone a Navy physical and nothing was detected but my classmate was able to discover that the young man was suffering from advanced prostate cancer. Over the years he occasionally wondered what happened to that young sailor – if he made it or not. Several weeks ago-- 42 years later my classmate received a phone call. It was the sailor calling from Minnesota! The man said, “I need to thank you for saving my life.” My classmate said it wasn’t really necessary but the man insisted. He said it had to be done in person. “But I live in Georgia,” my friend said. “It doesn’t matter” was the reply. The man and his wife came to Georgia and spent a week here. As a matter of fact they left for home last Wednesday. The man has some heart problems now but he has already lived 42 years longer than he might have. He is blessed to live with an attitude of gratitude and that he, too was able to say thanks across the miles.
Loving God, we give you thanks for the many blessings in our
lives, yet help us to remember to thanks others, too. We ask in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Thank
someone today!Paige
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