Pay it Forward Friday 11/8/2013

This week’s pay it forward winners are especially dear to me.  It took a lot of love and a lot of people willing to extend themselves. I’d been in a sticky spot had it not been for my Pay it Forward Team last week
Last week I attempted to return home. We all know I am afraid to fly so I was on the train. Amtrak is wonderful if you are retired and are free from time constraints. I enjoyed the ride immensely.  I had my tablet, music, and good food. I was jamming. Then the freight trains took over the tracks, and my train arrived 2 hours late. Of course I missed my connection.  Stranded in a city I knew nothing about alone for two days. What was a girl to do? I did what every girl does when she’s scared I called my mama, then my hubby. Yes in that order. Mom is always first when I am scared unless there is a gun involved then the hubby. He’s a pretty good shot. 🙂

Back to my Pay it Forward adventure. Mom called my cousins and Larry and Jackie were thrilled to see their little cousin and put me up until I could leave on the next train.  I guess they were thrilled, Larry kept referring to me as the package. Got to love family 🙂 .  I will say more than once every thing happens for a reason, when it’s supposed to, how it’s supposed to. I hadn’t seen my family in a good minute.  My unexpected detour was a blessing. Sometimes we get so caught up in life we forget  what really matters, FAMILY.  I really missed my cousins and I had a great time with them. Actually, hated to leave knowing I probably won’t see them again before our next reunion.  No stress right? Wrong. We all know nothing is ever that easy with me. Lol

Two days later, I’m packed, I’ve laughed and had fun with my cousins, now back to the train station we go. My bag was small enough to carry on which I actually started to do. But this nagging feeling kept telling me to check my bag. I no longer ignore signs, red flags or nagging feelings. I attempt to check my bag and discover  I am not booked on the train I thought I was booked on. WTH.  More mom and hubby calls but still stuck and not any closer to “home.” This time there weren’t any tears because I was with family and I wasn’t alone in a big strange city, or stuck in a train station for two more days.

Now would be a good time to admit frequently Nick refers to me as Lucy, as in I love Lucy, as in Lucy what type of hi-jinx have you gotten yourself into this time Lucy.  Hey it’s a thing with me. The great part is my hi-jinx in a round about away always lead to a blessing.

We go back to my  cousins’ house and start brain storming on how we are going to end this episode of I love Karintha with as few complications as possible.  Mickey Moore  gets an honorable mention here. Though she was ill she took to the web and tried to find me flights home. Saying the same things the rest of my family and friends were saying, you can do it, you can get on the plane. Then a plane crashed,and some nut shot a TSA agent. All flying was over at that point. Saturday night, I’m  in the guest room half asleep when my cousin Jackie comes running upstairs with a bright idea. Hey, my sister is right here and she’s going home tomorrow you can ride with her. Huh, but I don’t know your sister or her friend. Never mind all that Jackie says. I’ll see you in the morning.

Sunday morning Jackie and I went to Church. I needed to be in that Church last Sunday. Pastor Brady put it down. I won’t re-preach the entire sermon. Bottom line nothing is more important than God and family. All this other stuff we do is just window dressing. Now I have my message,  my blessings and I’m back on track right? Not so fast.

Jackie’s sister  Paula and her friend  Heather had attended a Mary Kay event. Jackie delivered the package, instantly Paula and Heather treated me as if we were old friends. Time flew by and we talked about everything under the sun. I offered to pay for their gas several times and each time I was told to pay it forward.

Which brings me full circle. For the last year I have been paying little things forward. Never expecting, hoping or thinking, I would ever need a pay it forward for myself. We all need help sometimes. We are all in this together. Now this Pay It Forward is a little unique because everyone involved is family or a close family friend.  The point is we all need to extend ourselves and open ourselves just a little bit. It’s a big world but together we can make it a better world one act of kindness at at a time. Some days that act of kindness may be as small as a smile or word of encouragement some days it’s as big as helping a lost body or soul. Sometimes when we think we are paying it forward we are also blessing ourselves. Heather and Paula blessed me not only with a ride home, but with their spirit and commitment and the reminders of my purpose we talked about in the car. I hope I blessed them a little too. As Heather said just before we reached our destination, nothing about this trip is an accident. It is not an accident the three of us are here together in this moment sharing this time

This week’s Pay It Forward Award Winners are: Mom, Aunt Lois,  Larry, Jackie, Schawntrell, Heather, Paula, and Pastor Brady.  I was reminded about a lot of things I had forgotten and taken for granted this week.

Make this the week you  go out of your way a little. Show someone an act of kindness and then simply ask them to pay it forward. it really does matter.

Peace, Blessings and Style.

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