Sunny

This morning, I had to get up and moving pretty early, even though I am still on Christmas vacation. I'm at my mom's house this week to spend some time w/my family and on Tuesdays, her cleaning lady comes. Before you think, "Oh no, poor baby has to get up early to have the house cleaned!" let me explain.
When we moved into this house in 1997, it was a difficult time for us. My parents were getting divorced and my mom and I moved into the city from our suburban home. I was one week shy of starting college, and I was very against our having to move. I felt that my dad should have to move. But, God was so good to us. We moved into a much smaller house, but with a much larger heart of neighbors. I felt as if I'd gone back to the '50s and I loved it! Our neighbors on either side were both elderly. Dorothy, on one side was a widow w/out children to take care of her. Remembering that we are to "take care of widows and orphans" we used to do many things w/her, especially when she no longer could drive (due to an accident, which oddly enough occurred at the BMV:) ). Dorothy had a cleaning lady that came on Tuesdays, which we were always grateful for, b/c as Dorothy aged, she often forgot meds, etc. Sunny, the cleaning lady was so good to her. After Dorothy died, Sunny needed someone to fill the Tuesday spot, and we took her right away.
On to Sunny. Sunny is a gift from God. Truly- I know we all are, but I feel unworthy at times when she is over. Sunny has what, as a teacher, I would describe as being a very low IQ. She doesn't drive and has a horrible stutter. Yet, 5 days a week, she cleans a different family's house. Her husband drops her off at 7:30 and she stays all day until he picks her up at 4:30. In a country where Sunny could probably live off of disability, she works! And she is proud of her work. Today when I was trying to help her, she scolded me and said, "That's what I'm here for- to help you out." She buys gifts for us on holidays. Nothing extravagent, maybe just a pad of paper. If she notices that my mom is low on a cleaning product, she brings it the next time. She only charges something crazy, like $45 dollars! My mom is always trying to give her more, but she won't take it. I think she really just cleans, because she loves to help people. And I think about that. Do I do things for other people because I truly want to help them? Sometimes, but honestly not always. Sometimes I feel as if I have to or they want me to and I'll feel guilty if they don't. There is much to be learned from someone like our Sunny!