GIVE ALL

 

 

The above quote can be seen hanging on the fence near the dugout for my son’s travel baseball team.

Every inning as the boys run onto the field, they hit the sign with their glove as a reminder to give all!

 

 

 

Isn’t that a great reminder for us all?

No matter what we are doing in this life–at work, school, or home–we should give all.

By giving all, we are doing our personal best to serve the Lord in whatever capacity we are and make this world a better place for others–touching more lives in His name.

 

 

Can you think of people that have blessed your life by giving all to you?

 

This past week I encountered some people I feel gave all to ensure others had a wonderful and pleasant experience.  Some of my family was blessed to vacation on a cruise to the Caribbean.

A few people stand out in my mind as “give all” which really touched me.

The first was a lady at a hotel in PA who checked us in at the hotel the night before our flight the next morning. She was very kind, warm and friendly asking about our plans and sincerely wishing us a pleasant trip. I could tell she was being genuine and caring also taking time to explain all the details we needed to know about getting to the airport. This lady really didn’t need to converse that much with me but in giving all, she made me feel special and cared for. It was a very positive experience that left my heart happy.

 

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On the cruise ship, our waiter, Sixto from the Philippines, and assistant, Dwi, from Indonesia, sure gave all each night to ensure we were pampered and given the best possible service. What really amazed me this time is that the waiter and assistant asked us our first names–our group had six people total–the first night. They repeatedly would call us by name to make our experience even more personal. I still cannot figure out how they accurately remembered our names every night after that since they serve so many people in a day!

Each night our waiter would so nicely explain the menu to us giving us his recommendations and at the end of the meal he would explain some of the events of the evening as well as the next day itinerary and meal highlights.  I cannot imagine how many times a day he went through the routine just to make sure we were well cared for. Sixto gave us an added bonus by playing his guitar and singing to us on two different nights.  I could not help but shed a few tears the last night as he sang, “You’ve Got a Friend.”  It didn’t help me any to see him getting choked up as he started to sing too.

 

Sixto playing the guitar while all the wait-staff sang

 

Dwi was such a delight because she always had a bright, cheerful smile on her face as she went about graciously serving us.  One evening when two in our party went for dinner and three of us showed up about 30 minutes later, somehow she spotted us in the lobby which was far away and came to get us to escort us to the table where the original two were seated. We quickly settled at the table where they effortlessly squeezed the five of us into a table for four.  My son did not have his soda cup with him that night like usual, but Dwi automatically brought him two glasses of soda instead. Truly, she gave all in my opinion!

 

Sixto, Dwi, my son & friend

 

When I mentioned to Dwi how I appreciated her always smiling and being so friendly, she said something to the effect that you have to smile–it makes others smile and feel good too.  Her quick wit also made you smile.

 

Dwi & my son

 

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I often think how difficult a cruise worker’s life must be–being so far away from home for such long periods of time as well as repeatedly doing the same thing seven days a week! Sixto has been employed by the cruise line for over 15 years. His current stint of duty is for 7 months but he extended his contract two more months so that this year he can be home for Thanksgiving and Christmas. He is working to support his two college age children and is very thankful for the internet and skype to keep in contact with his family.

Each night, I left the dining room with a smile on my face thinking of the kindness of Sixto and Dwi. Yes, they made me feel special and that I mattered like I was the only one they were taking care of.

 

Photo courtesy of brett jordan under Creative Commons License (CC BY 2.0)

 

I tried to give all with trying to make eye contact and acknowledging crew members I would see walking throughout the ship as well as with fellow cruisers.  I spent a lot of time reading or writing in a nice quiet place on one of the decks but I would look up and speak a friendly “hello” to those that passed by. It seemed like it was a good way to make others feel special and important.

On one island we were visiting, my daughter and I went to a beach via a taxi. Since it was only the two of us in the taxi, I tried to step out of my comfort zone to engage in more conversation with the driver to learn more about the island and her life. At one point, I asked if there were taxis at the beach so it would be easy enough to get back to the ship as our cell phones didn’t work being out of the US.  She said she would come back and get us if we had an idea of how long we wanted to stay. I was a little skeptical but the driver said she was honest and to prove it would not charge us until the return ride. I thought that was giving all. We were thankful she was true to her word so we could pay her in full.

By “giving all” in all we do, we have the possibility of sharing God’s goodness with others–brightening other’s lives and letting them know they matter!  Yes, isn’t that a reminder we can all use?

 

 

 

Would you be kind enough to take a few minutes and share in the comment section below a time when someone gave all to bless you? Thank you in advance for sharing!

 

Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full–pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.”  –Luke 6:38 (NLT)

Whatever you do, work at it wholeheartedly as though you were doing it for the Lord and not merely for people.  –Colossians 3:23 (ISV)