(Call Out) What You Can Do

Teach them a lesson.

Back to School

So many people do so many things for us, It’s not often that we ask people for help.

But a couple of weeks ago Marcy started thinking about school starting back soon. Our daughter Darcy is going into sixth grade, entering middle school, so she’ll be meeting lots of new friends. As a child, Marcy had to go to lots of schools – her Dad was in the service and they moved an average of every two years – so she knows what it is like going to a new school. She knows that if you feel comfortable and confident in your clothes, it helps smooth some of the bumps.

Darcy wasn’t naked, but if you were here while she was trying to pick out clothes, you would think she didn’t have any clothes at all. So we sent an email to several friends asking if they knew anyone outgrowing Darcy-sized clothes that they could give us.

The outpouring of love we received was unbelievable.

Darcy received a ton of clothes that are – OK, I’ll say it – “cute.” Many of them still had tags on them or had barely been worn. On top of that, some people sent new clothes bought specifically for Darcy. A couple of our friends said it was a great excuse to shop and buy clothes and feel good about shopping. I think almost every woman enjoys shopping, but this helped them feel good about enjoying it. In addition, many people sent gift certificates. We received the first one via email before the last request left my email outbox.

We got to hear from/talk to/correspond with friends from all facets of our life.

Darcy’s first grade Sunday School teacher brought a gift certificate to the house. A friend from church took Darcy to the mall and bought clothes with money donated by our Sunday School class. Another friend from church took Darcy to the Encores and More consignment sale and bought clothes with money donated by another friend from church. Yet another friend from church went beyond clothes and picked up Darcy’s back to school supply kit from school for us.

Neighbors brought clothes outgrown by their kids.

Friends from where I used to work sent money and clothes. One of these friends now lives in Cincinnati, bought clothes at Gap.com and sent them to the house. Her email said, “I don’t know what’s cool anymore, so you can take them back to the Gap at your mall if you need to.” I disagree. I think she knows what’s cool.

Friends from Happy Tales, the animal shelter Marcy helped start in 1996, have stayed in touch and sent money for shopping for Darcy.

We even received gift certificates from a friend who is a truck driver in Wisconsin. He first heard about us on a radio broadcast December, 2003 and has kept in touch with us via email.

Matthew 25:36 says, “I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.” Then, in Matthew 25:40 Jesus says, “Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.” Darcy wasn’t truly naked, and I certainly don’t consider us “the least of these” but our friends and strangers continue to teach us what love is.

If you know someone in need and they have school age children, consider helping get them back to school feeling confident and comfortable. You could be one of their best teachers.

Every Day Is Precious is a column to remind us to treat everyone we see today as if it could be the last time we see them. It is written by Rob Payne, whose wife, Marcy, was diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) in August of 2000. Now 42 years old, she has gone from winning 5 and 10K races to being quadriplegic and on a ventilator at home. For a collection of these columns in book form, more ways to help others, more about Marcy, or to receive email updates on her condition, visit www.EveryDayIsPrecious.com. Readers may contribute to her care by sending donations to Every Day Is Precious, 2051 Harvington Drive, Franklin, TN, 37069.

If you have helped someone without being asked, or know of someone who has, share it with others. Send to rob@everydayisprecious.com or to Every Day Is Precious, 2051 Harvington Drive, Franklin, TN. 37069.