Learning from Yom Kippur
2 years ago
I always seem to be a little ... disappointed ... with the focus of the news media (let's face it - a lot of it is freakin' depressing and not a great portrait of modern humanity, not to mention it's slightly yellow color these days!). Since we are called to spread the Good News, you can hopefully understand why this becomes frustrating. So, in fairness to the newsmedia, I thought I'd highlight a news article that shows us a more generous picture of life in America.
It was just a typical day on the job at the Pizza Hut in Angola, Ind., for 20-year-old Jessica Osborne when out of the blue, she received a gift that would change her life: a $10,000 tip from one of her customers. "When I opened it up, I just — I thought maybe I read too many zeros and I lost my breath," Osborne said on "Good Morning America." "It was amazing."
Osborne got to know Becky and her family through their weekly pizza dinners, but she didn't realize that they had recently suffered a great tragedy. Becky's husband and eldest daughter were killed in a car accident, and she had been left with a large settlement. Once Becky heard about Osborne's broken dreams, she decided to use some of the money from the settlement to make them come true. "We decided we needed to help Jessica and she was there, we were there, and it just seemed like the right thing to do," Becky said.
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Consider this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each must do as already determined, without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for you, so that in all things, always having all you need, you may have an abundance for every good work. As it is written: "He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor; his righteousness endures forever."
The one who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You are being enriched in every way for all generosity, which through us produces thanksgiving to God, for the administration of this public service is not only supplying the needs of the holy ones but is also overflowing in many acts of thanksgiving to God. Through the evidence of this service, you are glorifying God for your obedient confession of the gospel of Christ and the generosity of your contribution to them and to all others, while in prayer on your behalf they long for you, because of the surpassing grace of God upon you. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!
2 Corinthians 9:6-15
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Pizza Hut Waitress Gets $10,000 Tip
July 13, 2007
from ABC's Good Morning America
from ABC's Good Morning America
Photo credit: ABCNews
It was just a typical day on the job at the Pizza Hut in Angola, Ind., for 20-year-old Jessica Osborne when out of the blue, she received a gift that would change her life: a $10,000 tip from one of her customers. "When I opened it up, I just — I thought maybe I read too many zeros and I lost my breath," Osborne said on "Good Morning America." "It was amazing."The tip of a lifetime came from a family of regular customers. Every Friday, Becky and her family, who asked that their last name not be used, come in and order the same thing: a Meatlovers pizza, half pepperoni, half black olives and mushrooms. Becky said Osborne always came to the table with a smile on her face. "She was sweet and bright and cheerful and never complained," Becky said. "She was just a sweet waitress."
But Osborne had recently been let down by financial troubles that were keeping her ambitions at bay. She had enrolled in a local college but was forced to withdraw because of a lack of financial aid. She told Becky's family about the textbooks she had bought and kept in the trunk of her car and her dreams to become a photographer.
"I thought, 'This is a very generous person,'" Becky said, "and we enjoyed just talking to her, finding out about her life."
Osborne got to know Becky and her family through their weekly pizza dinners, but she didn't realize that they had recently suffered a great tragedy. Becky's husband and eldest daughter were killed in a car accident, and she had been left with a large settlement. Once Becky heard about Osborne's broken dreams, she decided to use some of the money from the settlement to make them come true. "We decided we needed to help Jessica and she was there, we were there, and it just seemed like the right thing to do," Becky said.
Osborne is deciding where to go to school, relieved that she now has the money to pay for it. For now, she's still getting over the shock of the much more than 15-percent tip. "It's unbelievable. It doesn't happen to people every day," she said. "I mean, I work at Pizza Hut!"
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That was lovely! I am so glad that you shared that...sometimes when life seems its worst, we all need to be reminded of those good things. That is why I occasionally watch Its a Wonderful Life. What an impact we can have on each other's lives!