FBL : Values

UNEXPECTED GRACE

My destiny changed when the high school librarian took an interest in me and began to influence my life. ... read >

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NEW KID ON THE WARD

I was a scared 10-year-old girl in the hospital having reconstructive surgery. ... read >

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THE DAY WE BECAME FRIENDS

She was new to my school and we despised each other for the first year. ... read >

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TOUCHING ONE LIFE

I volunteered with the Challenger League, a baseball team for young adults with physical disabilities. One day, a young man hit a home run and we ran around the bases - nothing unusual. ... read >

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SUNSHINE ON A RAINY DAY

I expressed my downcast state to my mother, hoping for some pity. Instead, she said, "I heard Jamie was having a difficult day too. Why don't you make her some cookies and we'll take them to her this afternoon?" ... read >

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SAY A KIND WORD TO SOMEONE ELSE AT LEAST ONCE A DAY

My mom would tell me to say at least one kind word to someone every day. I will admit that it wasn’t always very easy to do. But as soon as you see the look of gratitude in that person’s eyes you just want to do as much as you possibly can. ... read >

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A SMALL GIFT

As a teenager, I worked at a grocery store as a cashier in a local mall. There was a young man who walked around the mall and it didn't look like he had any friends or family. ... read >

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FOOD IN THE WORLD OF UNEMPLOYMENT

Nearly a year ago now, I had been unemployed for 3 months, No income, no food! Mother and 11 year old daughter. My landlady to whom i could not pay rent either decided to make a commitment to us. She said "I will not let you go without until you are settled again!". ... read >

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FINE EXAMPLES

My mother through her fine example instilled within me the desire to help others. She taught me to notice those whom others ignore ... read >

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KINDNESS

The whole time we were catching up, I was just stunned that he still remembered me. ... read >

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GUESTS FROM THE CLUB

Despite our financial hardship, though, every year during the holidays the best memories were made. Most of those grand memories take me back to December 25th, when Dad would announce to us after breakfast that he was going downtown to bring home guests for dinner. ... read >

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A TRUE FRIEND

My friend is now working on her Master's and needed a good friend to write a short paper on her integrity. She asked me, and this is the story I told in that paper. When she read it, she had no idea how much her efforts had meant to me then, or how much they still mean in my life. To me, that is what a true friend is. ... read >

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A GIFT TO ALL - BUT THE GIFT WAS IN THE GIVING

In 1994, the year after my father-in-law died, I planned a surprise for my husband on our anniversary. My husband didn't know where we were going, only that we were flying to see someone he loved. ... read >

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FITTING IN

My experience as a first year camp counselor held many things I was expecting, but also a number of things I was not expecting, with my group of 6th graders. My campers came from lower income neighborhoods and schools for an 8 week summer day camp. ... read >

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SHARING IS CARING

So working at camp has taught me so many, many things—especially working at a camp for kids coming from low-income families and neighborhoods. One thing it has taught me is that these kids are not short of kindness and happiness, they just show it differently. ... read >