11 and 12

Whenever the snow flies I see RAKs piling up on sidewalks and driveways.

I had a meeting with my Senior Minister today and chose to walk rather than drive the few blocks over and rather than simply trodden my way thorough the blanket of white, I opted to shovel my way and cleared the entire sidewalk from my front door to the church, including the path to the church door. After an encouraging and uplifting visit with the Minister I made my way back home only to find that that snow had kicked up again.... allot. I couldn't believe it. The nerve, the unmitigated gall of  the frozen flakes to cover up the RAK I just killed myself to create. So. Yeah. I had only one option left. Shovel my way back. I enjoyed a couple curious glances as people saw me continue past many houses, likely wondering which one I would walk into.

After a spirited adventure of snow clearing I was spent, fibro was in full flare, it was worth it, so I took threw back some pain killers and set down for some light reading on church revitalisation, thrilling stuff, yes? no? Well as much as I enjoy studying church dynamics I nodded off only to awaken in time to go greet my daughter after school, and as I open the door and when I stepped out into the bright sunlight reflected from the snowfall my eyes widened in horror and disbelief... the snow kept falling and though it was thankfully finished, I had one more run to complete. Shovelling my way to the school and back I felt a nudge to clear a random driveway... and I listened. I figured it was Warren tapping me on my shoulder, "hey, how about that house over there? wouldn't it be a kick if they came home to a shovelled driveway?" So I went to town, cleared the driveway and went home with a great big sack of RAK.

Just before sitting down to write this I read a post on the Facebook wall for 50RAK and smiled at a posting by a couple who had returned home, not looking forward to shovelling, only to find their driveway shovelled. As rough as I feel now I have to say that creating that feeling in someone else is priceless.

I would like to close with something that has been on my mind for a while now.

Some people are hesitant to be part of this movement, they feel it somehow seeks glory for your RAK by sharing it, but it doesn't... ok maybe some people are into that, but the inspiration, the motivation and the flow of something positive into you is more than enough to outweigh those seeking attention. For example, just this past weekend I was waiting for one of my daughters outside of her gymnastics class when I saw a young woman come to the doors with a cart filled with boxes of boxes, she took one pack and made her way to the recycling container a couple hundred feet away... than it happened. Warren tapped me on the shoulder and said, "hey, grab those other boxes and give her a hand" and so I did. The poor girl look totally confused when she saw me walk by with the rest of her load, now if it wasn't for this movement, I would've continued to read in the van waiting. There is enough negative garbage running through your Facebook feed, bitter sarcasm, biting cynicism, heated angry comments, passive aggressive postings, all negative and I think back to an elementary science experiment where we put a white flower in red food die only to watch that flower turn pink, then red... what do you think happens when you put your roots into negativity? make a pledge to put your roots into positivity that the flowers and fruit of your life may be love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self control.

Peace be with you and act through you.