More Bell Ringing Observations

As we begin the final week of ringing bells for the Salvation Army, I decided to share a few more observations I've made since .

1) Bell-ringing is definitely an art form. You'd think it would just be as simple as shaking the thing to-and-fro, but it's not quite that easy. Which hand do you use the most? I'm right-handed, and soon discovered that trying to ring a bell with my left hand was quite the challenge! The clanger likes to go in circles when I ring with my left hand - not sure why, but it does. Making it work properly is an acquired skill that I'm proud to announce I finally managed. Took long enough, though, didn't it?

2) The Kroger Towne Lake parking lot has several stop signs around the front doors, so that customers can cross with ease. Except STOP must mean something different in "grocery store parking lot language" than it means in English. I've been trying to translate, and here are my best guesses:

• Slowly Tap On Pedal
• Speed Through Or Park
• Speed, Talk On Phone
• Speed, Text, Or Phone

Before I started bellringing, I, too, was guilty of treating those things more like YIELD signs. But after seeing several near accidents, and having my heart stop a few times as children darted out of a parents' grasp, I've changed my ways.

A STOP sign in the parking lot means the same thing as it does in your neighborhood - STOP! Please be careful out there - a runaway child or an elderly person could be in the crosswalk at any time. They could be your own.

3) I actually prefer a little cool weather while ringing bells. The last three days here have been unseasonably warm - temps in upper 60s, lower 70s. Although I LOVE warm weather, the cooler weather provides a few benefits I never thought about before:

• No bugs! The critters have eaten me alive the last three days!
• Cold weather makes it feel like Christmas.
• When it's cold, I don't have to worry about bad hair days - a hat covers up my unruly mop!

4) Yesterday, I was surprised when several people commented what a gorgeous day it was. I felt it too, yet the sky was overcast with dark clouds all day long. I guess in the South, a warm December day always equates to gorgeous whether the sun shines or not.

5) With a good imagination, a bell ringer can have "celebrity sightings" at any location. I've seen folks who remind me of Cameron on House (she's one of the cute Kroger employees!) and Michael Scofield on Prison Break (Yum!) I eagerly await a Sawyer (from LOST) sighting. (And yes, I know their real names too - Jennifer Morrison, Wentworth Miller, and Josh Holloway, respectively.)

6) I still enjoy saying "Merry Christmas!" as much as I did the first day. Many, many people have told me how much they enjoy hearing it. A few have said "Happy Holidays" in return, and I get that and thank them with a smile. I'm proud we can say both.

7) Ringing bells is an awesome time for prayer. I see many people who work long, hard hours or who are hurting in some way - mentally, physically, emotionally, financially - and it just breaks my heart. So I pray for them as they go in and out the doors, that they may experience God's touch in a special way during this season of their lives. 

Ringing bells for the Salvation Army makes a difference in the lives of those it helps, but it has made such a tremendous impact in my own life, I hope to do it again in the future.

Support your local kettle, and your local bellringer, as often as you can. It helps your community and it will always brighten someone's day. 

If you're in the area, I'd love to meet you. Stop by the Towne Lake Kroger from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. any day (except Sunday) from now until the 23rd and say hello! Bring your camera and we'll take some pictures to post.

If you can't make it by, or never carry cash, Salvation Army provides another way to give - the Online Red Kettle.