This blew my mind…
I’ve been trying to teach my kids about faith and trusting that, no matter how things may seem, we never know what will happen just around the bend of life’s road that God might have in store for us. Apparently, I didn’t know I needed a practical application reminder of this myself, but I am so grateful I got just that today.
Early this morning, I received a text from an unknown number of someone explaining to be a friend of Mitzi’s from high school who is walking on Saturday. Now, I have tried to get a handle on the names and faces from Mitzi’s life, but I admit I’m not the best at remembering her lifetime’s worth of friends and family members. So this wasn’t a name I recognized. Anyway, she called me after I texted that I was available to talk, and I listened in growing amazement at the story she told.
She is a dental hygienist and was explaining to a patient about Mitzi and the Alzheimer’s Walk she would be participating in this weekend in honor of her friend. Her patient listened and then explained that he, himself, had recently lost a dear friend to Alzheimer’s as well. His appointment ended and he left. He later returned and handed her $650 in cash. He said his friend had left him some money and he wanted to donate $650 of it to Mitzi’s Walk team in honor of his friend. All he asked was that his friend be named in the donation.
I was floored by her story…For many reasons, not the least of which was just flat out restoring my faith in humanity. A total stranger was inspired in a dental chair to give what I feel is a substantial amount of money to support this cause? I love that, though they probably never met, a small piece of Mitzi’s story has intersected with a small piece of someone else’s story well after they’ve both left this earth to help make an impact on the stories of other lives affected by this same disease. I was so totally awestruck at the tremendously unexpected blessing that had unfolded as I sat on the couch in my pajamas this morning listening to this woman I had never met.
Moreover, this whole Walk experience has been a huge test of my own faith. I’ve explained before that over the summer when I first created the team goal, I typed in the recommended $2000 that the Alz Association suggested. And God said, “Make it $20,000.” I laughed out loud to myself as I looked at the number after I added a zero. (Mitzi was asleep in the other room, so I could talk to myself and no one but me was around to think I was nuts!) “That’s too many zeroes, God,” I said to the air as I deleted the zero and put the goal back to the more sensible original amount. “Make it $20,000,” the voice in my head repeated, matter-of-factly. Again, I added a zero and laughed at how ridiculous the amount looked. Then I deleted it again. For Heaven’s sake, $20,000 is a really decent vehicle. Or a part-timer’s annual salary! No way would we be able to raise $20,000 by November 16! But God said, “Test me in this. Add the zero.” So I did, figuring I could always just go in and drastically lower the goal. (Which I almost chickened out and did in the first few days!)
Never in my wildest dreams did I think we would be this close to making that insane goal. This morning, our tally was $17,847. My boys and I went and picked up the $650 from Mitzi’s friend at her work and delivered her shirt to her. Then another $290 has come in from various other people today. Plus, we had the generous donor who covered the T-shirt costs and directed that any money donated for shirts on Saturday is to go directly to the team. So who knows where the final amount will end up, but it is light years closer to the number I laughed at and deleted multiple times as I doubted God’s capabilities.
I do know this, I have learned a very important lesson through all of this about trust and faith; listening and obeying. And especially about sacrifice and honoring those we love. I am constantly overwhelmed at the time and resources people are willing to dedicate to represent Mitzi in this Walk. What a testimony to who she was and how she did—and still does—inspire people with her story in the face of this disease.
Again, and from the bottom of my heart, thank you.
#malachi3ten
