Eric Willis is not anyone much different from you or me. He is a 30 year old who lives in Florida. He drives a beat up Cherokee, with a homemade trailer behind it. During his days, he delivers mail to 480 people on his route.

On his day off, Eric pulls his homemade trailer and red lawn mower back to his route. And there he spends his day off, mowing the yards of random people who need it - FOR FREE.

 
Eric knows all 480 people he delivers mail to. At one point, he was offered a route closer to his home, he refused. These were his people.

It all started when Eric delivered mail to Jack’s house, which was overgrown with weeds. So he begins mowing his yard…and then it turned into another, and another, and another. He told churches about his service (which remember now, is FREE), other letters carriers sent referrals, he knocked on doors asking if they needed help.

As of now, Eric is up to 15 yards. His record is 8 yards in one day.

Eric even hurt his foot one time, and every step was agony. He prayed, and God healed him. Willis and his brother built the trailer her pulls behind his truck. The spray on words read “Lawns for the Lord.”

And mowins isn’t the end of it. Eric has been known to rent a bush hog to clear a path on a man’s lot, carry garbage for a retired nun, dug up azaleas for a single mom, moved heavy planters for a widow, had his 7 year old daughter play piano for a lonely lady, and replaced lightbulbs. And mind you, FOR FREE.

You can read the whole news story here

If this guy isn’t inspirational, I don’t know who is! This is what it’s about, being the hands and feet of Jesus

I just love Craig Groeschel…and not just because he looks like Superman. He wrote a 4-part article that really hit me between the eyes. We all need to learn how to confront. It seems like everywhere I turn, people do NOT like to confront, or can’t confront, or can only confront by email (okay I’ve been guilty of this). Why will we NOT confront?! Okay, you all need to read this…

Craig says there are 2 ways to handle a problem:

1. Ignore it and hope it goes away (yeah right…)
2. Confront it

But how?!?!?! *as we cringe*

Did you know….that if you don’t confront the problem, that you are a part of the problem? Yes, that’s right, YOU are part of the problem.

Some keys to confronting:

• Do it with love (you can pretty much say anything if you do it with the right attitude)
• Do it now (stop waiting)
• Do it yourself (don’t do it through someone else)
• Give them the benefit of the doubt. They probably don’t realize what they are doing is wrong or is upsetting you.
• Don’t do it when you are angry! (If you are like me, this is the time when I get some wits….but it’s best to wait until calm)
• Don’t shoot the breeze. Get to the point. You are prolonging the inevitable…and small talk can be seen through.
• If it’s a decision you made, don’t blame it on someone else (eeks, I’m bad about this). For example: “The pastor decided….and I just have to do it his way” - Just own it already.

To read more, visit Craig’s Tough Conversations Posts (there are 4 of them). Here are the links:

Craig’s Tough Conversations 1 of 4
Craig’s Tough Conversations 2 of 4
Craig’s Tough Conversations 3 of 4
Craig’s Tough Conversations 4 of 4

Also, may I suggest a GREAT book…. “Boundaries: Face to Face - How to Have That Difficult Conversation You’ve Been Avoiding”

So I was driving down 95 tonight, my mind heavy with a lot of thoughts that have been pulling at me the last few months. I always put my iPod on shuffle, much to my husband’s dismay. But tonight, I was alone…the kids were sleeping in the back seat, and I just needed something to uplift me. My iPod happened upon a song by Leeland called “Too Much” and the words said EVERYTHING I wanted to say….

All these places I have been
All these faces I have seen
Too much, too much
All these bricks and all these stones
Have all been cast they’ve all been thrown
Too hard, too hard

I’ve found my home again
I finally find myself in You
I finally find myself in You
I feel safe again
You’re the one I’m running to
You’re the one I’m running to

I am just looking and running to God right now…for comfort, for understanding, for wisdom, for conviction, for love, for rest. I can’t find it in anyone else. I cannot rely on what other’s think, I must run to God for everything. The other night I opened the Word and I devoured the words like much needed food after a long fast, and God and I just enjoyed another “quiet time” together.

His peace is like no other…