By Pastor Leah Fintel Krotz, Trinity Lutheran Church, Bruning
This morning, I stopped by Deshler High School to donate blood as part of their annual blood drive. I’ve written before about how important blood donations are, how they saved my mom’s life many years ago, and what an easy way this is to truly make a difference. This time, I’d like to talk about making a difference in another way.
I arrived at 9:00 a.m. for my appointment and was greeted by the students who were overseeing the drive. They were friendly and helpful, which is always good to see. But what really stood out for me were the two Red Cross employees who saw me through the process.
First, a young lady named Brie, who was great at her job (the poke barely hurt at all!) and also enjoyable to visit with, as we talked about our vocations and she recommended a book to me that had had a huge impact on her life. (In case you’re interested, it’s The Person Called You: Why You're Here, Why You Matter & What You Should Do with Your Life by Bill Hendricks.
After Brie was called away, a grandmotherly lady who introduced herself as “Mama Jo” took over. She was so upbeat and happy—talking with her was bound to get my day off to a great start. And when I was finished, she handed me a card, with cheerful stickers on the envelope and hand-colored drawings inside, thanking me for my donation. I told her I’d never received anything like that in all my forty years of giving blood. She said that she does this for every donor she cares for—what a great ministry!
Proverbs 17:22 tells us, "A cheerful heart is good medicine," and I certainly found that to be true today. I left the school minus a pint of blood but with a smile on my face and a determination to pass on the good cheer I had received to someone else. How can you do the same today?
