Lesson #7

Lesson #7 - Selflessness. Not an easy lesson and definitely not an easy feat. I've seen people's selflessness and it's pretty amazing. Some examples:

1. My mother-in-law Armandina Andrade visiting me in the hospital 60+ miles from her home while undergoing chemo. Get this - she couldn't even go inside the hospital, so she stayed in the car and had my father-in-law come up to visit me. Despite her having a chemo treatment just a couple days before, she was determined to go visit me - even if it meant from the parking lot. That's the kind of heart she had.

2. My mom paying for my trip to Europe in 2000. She used money from her 401k so I could go tour Europe with my friends. Now, I am not sure that she will be able to retire in time (I'm just joking :)).

3. My sister and Felix letting me live with them for one year - practically rent free and bill free. We were one big happy family - I called myself the second daughter. I'd come home and yell, "mom, dad, I'm home". I miss those days :)

4. My husband, Sam, giving money to his workers if the company he worked for did not pay the workers on time. He would give them personal checks so that they could have money for their families. And it was no small amount, I'll tell you that. Also, at the time I was not a happy camper about that. But now that I look back, I am proud of him for that.

5. Countless people taking time out of their day and schedule to be with my sister, me, and my family for Zavier's services and preparing for Zavier's services. And the many more who offered their time to pray for us and are still praying for us. Many people who we don't even know or talk to on a regular basis. Friends that spent time with me - helping me and Erica get things ready. To be quite honest, I didn't do much even though I should have or appeared that I was doing alot. I had good friends who helped me through it all:)

6. Jesus dying on the cross for us. The ultimate sacrifice and act of selflessness. He died to pay for our sins. (Technically, I said above that these are examples I've seen - except for this one, but I do know and believe it).

I've learned that being selfless is what I want to be one day. Last night Sam told me..."you are not as selfish as you once were". So it looks like I may be headed in the right direction :) Each day, I want to be a little less selfish.