SIDNEY — There are some new kids in town who call themselves Carpenter’s Heart and Hands. And on Dec. 16 they began their quest in the city of Sidney at the local restaurant, Buffalo Wild Wings. Their mission is to share the love of Jesus, whose birth is celebrated in this season of Christmas, with anonymous gifts and messages.
As their first act of kindness, 14 people from the area chose a waitress to begin their journey. Each person put a $100 bill into a single card to cover all the meals and then leave the remainder as a tip. As the bill was presented, the card was given to the waitress who was told to cover the meals and the rest was hers.
Her card included the messages of hope and love and sacrifice which can change everything for a person in just one moment. And the philosophy of this new born group is being able to experience the joy in giving to as many people as you can as you live your daily life.
This story may sound familiar for those who follow social media and watch the news on TV. The idea to do this for a waitress lit a flame in the hearts of several women who are friends on one of the social sites. It was an instantanious decision to do this for someone in Sidney.
As they invited friends and family their number grew and a date was set. In this case, they knew they wanted to bless a person who would not only appreciate the gift, but had struggled and worked hard to make ends meet for herself and her family. One of the people invited to join the luncheon suggested a young mother who had worked hard for her in the past. All the arrangements were made with the management at the restaurant, and all they had to do was wait for their day to arrive.
This group is not an exclusive number of people who thought this event needed to be re-enacted over and over. Instead of uniting as a team, the objective of Carpenter’s Heart and Hands was and will always be to show people how to spread love and joy and hope by small acts of kindness on their own. It is a “pay it forward” way to connect to others.
Examples of ways to love another person are limitless. Sending cards and flowers or a gift card to someone with or without signing your name to the gift can brighten a person’s day. Paying someone’s check in a restaurant or for the car behind you at a drive-thru window are examples to others. Pay a compliment to someone you don’t know. Help a senior citizen put their groceries in their car. Get a box of donuts and drop them off to a nursing home for the employees. Think of things you can do for shut in neighbors.
Some of the hardest days come after the loss of a loved one. But after the family goes home and the food stops coming, someone is spending days and nights alone. Surgeries, broken bones, a heartbreaking diagnosis or an illness can cause depression. These are those opportunities to make a difference for someone by taking time for a simple visit.
Those moments count. These new kids in town are simply reminding everyone that they have the power to change everything for someone in that moment. That is their Christmas message to everyone. Opportunity by opportunity, moment by moment, they want everyone to use their hearts and their hands for their community, and the world.
