Just lunch

[Teresa]

This is true...it is factual....and for me anyway, well worth the read.  See what you think.  Thanks









This story was copied from a magazine called 'Renewed & Ready' and
what a story it is. Written by Beverly Brass, as told to her by Denny Kukich of Wood Dale , Illinois.
 
 
I put my carry-on in the luggage compartment and sat down in my
assigned seat. It was going to be a long flight. 'I'm glad I have a good book
to read. Perhaps I will get a short nap,' I thought.



I fly frequently, and I always look for an opportunity to share Jesus with someone. I
wondered who it might be this time because there were empty seats all around
me.  Not much of a chance to talk to anyone.



Just before take-off, a line of soldiers came down the aisle and filled all the vacant seats, totally surrounding me. 'This is more like it! OK, Lord, which one will it be? Who needs to hear about you?'



I decided to start a conversation. 'Where are you headed?' I asked the soldier seated nearest to me.


'Chicago--to Great Lakes Base. We'll be there for two weeks for special training, and then we're being deployed to Iraq.'



After flying for about an hour, an announcement was made that sack lunches were available for five dollars. It would be several hours before we reached Chicago, and I quickly decided a lunch would help pass the time. As I reached for my wallet, I overheard a soldier ask his buddy if he planned to buy lunch.


'No, that seems like a lot of money for just a sack lunch. Probably wouldn't be worth five bucks. I'll wait till we get to Chicago.' His friend agreed.
 
I looked around at the other soldiers. None were buying lunch. I was hungry, but could not bring myself to eat in front of them. I walked to the back of the plane and

handed the flight attendant a fifty dollar bill. 'Take a lunch to all those soldiers.'
 
She grabbed my arms and squeezed tightly. Her eyes wet with tears, she
thanked me. 'My son was a soldier in Iraq. It's almost like you are doing it for him.'

Picking up ten sacks, she headed up the aisle to where the soldiers were seated.
 
I forgot about me!
 
Overwhelmed by her emotional response, I returned to my seat. She asked,
'Which do you like best--beef or chicken?' 'Chicken,' I replied, wondering
why she asked. She turned and went to the front of plane, returning a
minute later with a dinner plate from first class. 'This is your thanks.'
Now I felt guilty--I had dinner and the soldiers had only a sack lunch.

After we finished eating, I went again to the back of the plane,  heading for

the rest room. A man stopped me. 'I saw what you did. I want to be
part of it. Here, take this.' He handed me twenty-five dollars.
 
Soon after I returned to my seat, I saw the Flight Captain coming down
the aisle, looking at the aisle numbers as he walked, I hoped he was not
looking for me, but noticed he was looking at the numbers only on my
side of the plane. When he got to my row he stopped, smiled, held out his
hand, and said, 'I want to shake your hand.' Quickly unfastening my seatbelt
I stood and took the Captain's hand. With a booming voice he said, 'I
was a soldier and I was a pilot. Once, someone bought me a lunch. It was an
act of kindness I never forgot.' I was embarrassed when applause was
heard from all of the passengers.
 
Later I walked to the front of the plane so I could stretch my legs. A man
who was seated about six rows in front of me reached out his hand,
wanting to shake mine. He left another twenty-five dollars in my palm.
 
When we landed in Chicago I gathered my belongings and started to deplane.

Waiting just inside the airplane door was a man who stopped me, put
something in my shirt pocket, turned, and walked away without saying a
word. Another twenty-five dollars!
 
Upon entering the terminal, I saw the soldiers gathering for their trip to
the base. I walked over to them and handed them seventy-five dollars.
'It will take you some time to reach the base. It will be about time for a
sandwich. God Bless You.'
 
Ten young men left that flight feeling the love and respect of their
fellow travelers. As I walked briskly to my car, I whispered a prayer for
their safe return. These soldiers were giving their all for our country.
I could only give them a couple of meals. It seemed so little.....

[Catwoman]

Too many people pass up the small chances that exist to make life easier for other people.  So many times, it is not the huge things you do that make life bearable for someone else...too often, it is something as small as simply acknowledging that the other person even exists that gives them the strength to get through their day.  A simple smile...a nod, given in the direction of someone who is walking toward you...complimenting someone on how they're doing their job, when it is obvious that the person is one of the 'disposable' members of society who is ignored...overlooked...because to draw attention to them or yourself in connection with them might bring embarrassment to the both of you.  Everyone needs to know that their existence matters.  Soldiers need that acknowledgement more than most...especially if they're part of the chosen ones to be put in harm's way.  Courage to do your duty can be a hard commodity to come by but it comes easier if you feel supported.  Children most especially need this acknowlegement...it is so hard for them to grow up.  As an educator, I always make sure that I look each child in the eye and smile at them as I pass them in the hallway...thanks to some of the hyper-critical teachers they're stuck with, my smile might just be one of the few uncompromised smiles they get that day...and it might just make the difference between having the guts to face that test in the next hour or not having the confidence to do well during that test.  OK...I'll climb down off my soapbox now.

[frawin]

CATWOMAN, that was excellent, I think you topped my "THINK POSITIVE" post for today. We enjoy sharing with those in need, there is no greater joy than being able to help someone in need in some way. We had a really big 2 day Garage sale last week and I think we gave as much away as we sold. If someone, especially the children that came, wanted something and their parents said we just can't afford it, we gave it to the child. We had some items that a man was looking at, he said can you take any less for these, I said no, he told me he was helping a lady that was trying to move  and she had no money and no family, he said let me call her and see if she can afford the items, he called her and she said she couldn't, I said which vehicle is yours, he pointed to it and I said help me start loading this stuff, he said I don't have the money to pay, I said I have lowered the price on all of it to a handshake. I can tell you he was so appreciative and pleased and Myrna and I both felt good. The Lord has been good to us and we try to give a big portion of our earnings to Charities of all kinds. I think our biggest weakness is when Children, the elderly and the Special needs people are involved, I need to include anything to do with our Nations Veterans that have given so much of themselves for all of us.

[frawin]

WOW Teresa, that is a good one and it really makes one think about how much we do owe  these young men. I have a bunch of letters that one of my brothers wrote to my sister Anita during WWII, that brother was in Europe, reading those letters makes one think about what these young men have given up for all of us. I had another brother that served in the Army in the  Pacific and another that served in the Navy in WWII, the one that was in Europe was called back to active duty and served in Korea, another brother, Dwight was in during the Korean War and served two tours in Vietnam.

[pam]

Right on Catwoman

[flo]

I got to tell you about a yard sale Kelly and I had when I lived in Severy.  It was one of those Thur. nite, Fri and Sat affairs.  On Sat. morning a teenager and her grandmother came out.  They went over the clothes and things real closely and picked up very few things to buy.  I told Kelly about this girl and her brother were being raised by their grandmother and most likely had little money till the first of the month.  Kelly immediately got up and went to where they were.  Told the girl that we would be closing soon and she certainly didn't want to have to pack up all those clothes and cart them back home. That if her grandmother didn't care, she'd like for her to come look at some of the jeans and shirts that would probably fit, and no charge if she wanted them.  That would help keep her from having to take them back home.  The clothes were what Kelly's oldest had grown out of and in real good shape not to mention "brand" names for teens at the time.  The girl beamed, the grandmother gave her permission and the teen went home with what to her was a full new wardrobe to start school with. 

[Teresa]

    Wonderful......

[frawin]

Florene, that is my kind of story, I love it when someone that is deserving gets something that helps them. One year for Christmas, instead of buying a lot for us, Myrna and I shipped several boxes of items to Iraq, I have a cousin that had been Sheriff of Butler County and he resigned and went to Iraq with his Reserve Unit and we sent the boxes to him. He told us that a lot of the men and women in their outfit enjoyed the gifts. In fact that Cousin is 55 years old and he just volunteered and went back to Iraq with his unit.

[Wilma]

Flo, that sounds like Kelly, the way I remember her.