Selfless acts

I have a friend who has always been one of those people who would do anything for someone she loves. Joanna is the type of friend that sees a situation full of difficulties and immediately finds a way to help. She may not solve the core problem, but her attention always seems to be focues on what SHE can do to be the most effective in the situation.

Joanna's introduction to my family happened in the middle of preparations for my sisiter Bethany's wedding. Joanna and I walked in the door after driving from North Carolina with everything she owned shoved into the back of her Volvo to find a typical scene at the Rutherford/Jardine house: Chaos. Bethany's wedding was only a couple of days away and in typical family form, there was a month's worth of work being accomplished in 48 hours. Joanna introduced herself to my mom and then, without even missing a beat, stepped in and took over the ironing of about 100 chair covers. By the end of the day, Larry's new name for her was established: Number Ten (referring to her being the long-lost tenth child in our blended family).

Over the years, this is the Joanna I've come to know and love and call best friend. But nothing she has done can compare with what she is about to do tomorrow. In the early hours of the morning, Joanna will be wheeled in to surgery at the University of North Carolina to donate her kidney to a friend.

My selfish heart's first response to the news was, "You've got to be kidding me! What if one of your kids needs a kidney ... what if I need your kidney?!" Over the past few months, JoJo reassured me serveral times that she feels like this is what Heavenly Father wants her to do. She's sure if she's willing to do this and somewhere down the road someone closer to her than her kidney recipient needs something, it will all work out. Where did she find that faith?

I've been praying for Joanna this week and can honestly say that she is the most selfless person I know at this moment. I know she'll read this and roll her eyes at me and remind me of all the things she's done that could be called selfish, but I'm thinking the kidney is pretty much going to put her in the black for a real long time.

So, if you have a minute or two on Tuesday, please say a prayer for Joanna and the lucky recipient of her kidney.