My Friend Lisa

So, I have been doing this 29-Day Giving Challenge to try to be more aware of opportunities I have to give to others each day.

I love sharing my experiences as I give , but today I want to share how great it feels to be the recipient of a give - especially one that is heartfelt and meaningful.

This give comes from my friend Lisa and it left me speechless and in tears (the speechless part is amazing, I know!).

It is a give that cost nothing but some thought and a little time, it didn't have to be wrapped or delivered in any fancy package, and it meant the world to me when I opened it.

What is this tremendous give?... An email that she sent me.

I can't even begin to tell you how much my heart is touched everytime I read what Lisa wrote, which is why I share it here. This is the perfect example of how something so simple can be so powerful in the day of someone else.

This was Lisa's give to me, which she titled:

"A few gifts that Kirsten has given me...just not in the requisite 29-day time frame"

Gift of Expertise/Professional Knowledge. Kirsten has often provided me literary guidance in referring book series, authors and individual titles to help foster my children's love of reading. Every recommendation has been a "home run" for my kids' growing appetite for books. Her knowledge (and passion!) for children's literature has made me a better & more informed mother (and saved me oodles of time).

Gift of Refuge. When our house was for sale this past summer, I often had to scrub it down and flee at a moment's notice (well, approximately 1/2 hr notice) when a real estate agent wanted to show our home. This also entailed packing my 3 kids into the minivan and finding a place to pass an hour or two. Texas in August is not a place where you can spend 2 hours in a park in the afternoon. One day, I called her while toodling about, and asked if we could possibly come hide out in her home (I was 8 months pregnant at the time, and the captain seat of the van wasn't particularly comfortable. She said yes, and then the kids and I got to spend 2 hours in the quiet, peaceful air-conditioned comfort of her home. And Christian became the 3rd Dansie kid to become a fan of Brian's Coke truck set.

On this same subject, Kirsten's home has provided "refuge" again and again for many of her friends. She thinks that we call her place "peaceful" and "an oasis" just because it is devoid of toy clutter and kid mayhem. But it is much more than that; it is because her home exudes beauty, comfort, peace, welcome, and order. For parties, showers, Conference Scholars, and casual, stop-by gatherings, it truly is a refuge.

Gift of Surprise. In August, Kirsten surprised me with a book. Not just any book, but "Breaking Dawn", within 36 hours of its midnight release. This gift entailed much more than the volume itself. It saved me the time (and related potential headaches) of packing my three kids to go to the store and stand in-line to buy it. It brought me the joy of a VERY unexpected surprise - it has been a long time since someone gave me such a thoughtful, meaningful gift, "just because". It gave me the gift of literary escape, as I devoured it (not until after the Sabbath was over). And perhaps most of all, it increased the gift of friendship which Kirsten has already extended to me - lo these many years - as she (perhaps, alone) fathoms the silly depths of my Edward issue.

Oh, there are many more gifts I could list, but I thought these were pretty good. So, as you pursue your 29-day goal, realize that there are gifts you offer along the way that perhaps you don't recognize.

Love ya,
Lisa

My friend Lisa... an amazing girl that has been a HUGE part of me getting to the good place that I am now. Our friendship is definitely a blessing in my life, one that I am infinitely thankful for and one that has even survived a change in ward boundaries!

Thank you my friend, I love ya back!