What goes around comes around

A very dear friend sent this to us, and we wanted to share it with each of you.  We all have to remember that God can make a huge difference in our lives, but we can also make a difference in the lives of others every day!

               The man slowly looked up. This was a woman clearly           

               accustomed to the finer things of life. Her coat was new.    

               She looked like she had never missed a meal in her life. His 

               first thought was that she wanted to make fun of him, like   

               so many others had done before.                              

               "Leave me alone," he growled... To his amazement, the woman  

               continued standing. She was smiling -- her even white teeth  

               displayed in dazzling rows.                                  

               "Are you hungry?" she asked.                                 

               "No," he answered sarcastically. "I've just come from dining 

               with the president.. Now go away."                           

               The woman's smile became even broader.                       

               Suddenly the man felt a gentle hand under his arm. "What are 

               you doing, lady?" the man asked angrily. "I said to leave me 

               alone.                                                       

               Just then a policeman came up. "Is there any problem,        

               ma'am?" he asked..                                           

               "No problem here, officer," the woman answered. "I'm just    

               trying to get this man to his feet. Will you help me?"       

               The officer scratched his head. "That's old Jack. He's been  

               a fixture around here for a couple of years. What do you     

               want with him?"                                              

            "See that cafeteria over there?" she asked. "I'm going to get

            him something to eat and get him out of the cold for awhile."

            "Are you crazy, lady?" the homeless man resisted. "I don't want

            to go in there!" Then he felt strong hands grab his other arm

            and lift him up.

            "Let me go, officer. I didn't d o anything.."

            "This is a good deal for you, Jack," the officer answered.

            "Don't blow it."

            Finally, and with some difficulty, the woman and the police

            officer got Jack into the cafeteria and sat him at a table in a

            remote corner. It was the middle of the morning, so most of the

            breakfast crowd had already left and the lunch bunch had not

            yet arrived.

            The manager strode across the cafeteria and stood by his table.

            "What's going on here, officer?" he asked."What is all this, is

            this man in trouble?"

            "This lady brought this man in here to be fed," the policeman

            answered.

            "Not in here!" the manager replied angrily. "Having a person

            like that here is bad for business."

            Old Jack smiled a toothless grin. "See, lady. I told you so.

            Now if you'll let me go. I didn't want to come here in the

            first place."

            The woman turned to the cafeteria manager and smiled. "Sir, are

            you familiar with Eddy and Associates, the banking firm down

            the street?"

            "Of course I am," the manager answered impatiently. "They hold

            their weekly meetings in one of my banquet rooms."

            "And do you make a goodly amount of money providing food at

            these weekly meetings?"

            "What business is that of yours?"

            I, sir, am Penelope Eddy, president and CEO of the company."

            "Oh.."

            The woman smiled again.. "I thought that might make a

            difference."

            She glanced at the cop who was busy stifling a laugh. "Would

            you like to join us in a cup of coffee and a meal, officer?"

            "No thanks, ma'am," the officer replied. "I'm on duty."

            "Then, perhaps, a cup of coffee to go?"

            "Yes, ma'am. That would be very nice."

            The cafeteria manager turned on his heel. "I'll get your coffee

            for you right away, officer."

            The officer watched him walk away... "You certainly put him in

            his place," he said.

            "That was not my intent... Believe it or not, I have a reason

            for all this."

            She sat down at the table across from her amazed dinner guest.

            She stared at him intently.

            "Jack, do you remember me?"

            Old Jack searched her face with his old, rheumy eyes. "I think

            so -- I mean you do look familiar."

            "I'm a little older perhaps," she said. "Maybe I've even filled

            out more than in my younger days when you worked here, and I

            came through that very door, cold and hungry."

            "Ma'am?" the officer said questioningly. He couldn't believe

            that such a magnificently turned out woman could ever have been

            hungry.

            "I was just out of college," the woman began. "I had come to

            the city looking for a job, but I couldn't find anything.

            Finally I was down to my last few cents and had been kicked out

            of my apartment.. I walked the streets for days. It was

            February and I was cold and nearly starving. I

            saw this place and walked in on the off chance that I could get

            something to eat."

            Jack lit up with a smile. "Now I remember," he said. "I was

            behind the serving counter. You came up and asked me if you

            could work for something to eat. I said that it was against

            company policy."

            "I know," the woman continued. "Then you made me the biggest

            roast beef sandwich that I had ever seen, gave me a cup of

            coffee, and told me to go over to a corner table and enjoy it.

            I was afraid that you would get into trouble. Then, when I

            looked over and saw you put the price of my

            food in the cash register, I knew then that everything would be

            all right..."

            "So you started your own business?" Old Jack said.

            "I got a job that very afternoon. I worked my way up.

            Eventually I started my own business that, with the help of

            God, prospered.." She opened her purse and pulled out a

            business card. "When you are finished here, I want you to pay a

            visit to a Mr. Lyons. He's the personnel director of my

            company. I'll go talk to him now and I'm certain he'll

            find something for you to do around the office."

            She smiled. "I think he might even find the funds to give you a

            little advance so that you can buy some clothes and get a place

            to live until you get on your feet. If you ever need anything,

            my door is always open to you."

            There were tears in the old man's eyes. "How can I ever thank

            you?" he asked.

            "Don't thank me," the woman answered. "To God goes the glory.

            He led me to you."

            Outside the cafeteria, the officer and the woman paused at the

            entrance before going their separate ways.. "Thank you for your

            help officer," she said.

            "On the contrary, Ms. Eddy," he answered. "Thank you. I saw a

            miracle today, something that I will never forget, And thank

            you for the coffee.."

            Have a Wonderful Day. May God Bless You always and don't forget

            that when you "cast your bread upon the waters," you never know

            how it will be returned to you.