Pep Talk: "Al's Random Email"

In this electronics-dominated world, we possess them. Yep. Those loved ones who, usually late at night, fire off emails. To many, including us. The content usually with a humorous intent, obvious or not.

One of those friends is an incredible guy who, as a youth sports coach, devoted much time to your knucklehead scribe and other young men during our formative years. Spry and active in his 80s, “Alle B” is the nickname for a respected dude who still mentors young kids and plays a huge role in organizing a yearly golf tournament to raise money for Raytown, Missouri’s “Youth Sports Initiative.” It’s an effort to give kids in the school district more access to sports and less temptation to gangs. It’s a big problem we face in America today. We have too many kids growing up in neighborhoods with little access to music, sports and arts. Tragically, deprived of healthy and productive activities. Guess what? It opens the door for gangs to recruit the kids. Most of whom are from single-parent (mom) families. Isolated and vulnerable.

Anyway, I’ll get off the soapbox and back to the story. A recent email from Al Maddox was priceless. The subject line read: “God’s Wife.” The content was from Leo Buscaglia. The renowned author and lecturer once judged a contest looking for the most caring child. “God’s Wife” was one of the winning entries. It tickled Al’s fancy and he passed it along. Enjoy.

An eyewitness account from New York City, on a cold day in December, 

Some years ago: A little boy,

About 10-years-old, was standing before a shoe store on the

Roadway, barefooted, peering through the window, and shivering

With cold.

A lady approached the young boy and said,

'My, but you're in such deep thought staring in that window!'

'I was asking God to give me a pair of

Shoes,' was the boy's reply.

The lady took him by the hand, went into

The store, and asked the clerk to get half a dozen pairs of socks

For the boy. She then asked if he could give her a basin of water

And a towel. He quickly brought them to her.

She took the little fellow to the back

Part of the store and, removing her gloves, knelt down, washed

His little feet, and dried them with the towel.

By this time, the clerk had returned with

The socks. Placing a pair upon the boy's feet, she purchased him

A pair of shoes.

She tied up the remaining pairs of socks

And gave them to him. She patted him on the head and said, 'No

Doubt, you will be more comfortable now.'

As she turned to go, the astonished kid

Caught her by the hand, and looking up into her face, with tears

In his eyes, asked her: “Are you God’s wife?”

Way cool. Al’s random email (I’m lucky and blessed to have opened it) speaks to the power of never growing weary of doing good for others. Nobody reaps the harvest more than us. This week, live that truth!