Kindness and Monday's Prayer

This represents one of the very few nice gestures

of my former daughter-in-law

towards me.

Her family company was making them

and she brought me one,

not wrapped up as part of my Christmas gift,

but simply handed to me.

The gesture and the gift meant a lot to me

and it's one of my better memories of her.

What I do remember most is

how she never once complemented me in any way,

whether it was my cooking, my hairstyle,

my clothes, something I did to the house, etc.

I can count on less than the fingers of one hand

 the times she said thank you,

even though every time I babysat at her home,

she came home to dishwasher emptied and running again;

laundry done and folded;

toys picked up;

and children fed

(and if supposed to be--in bed asleep).

(She did say thank you for gifts given her.)

There are other things that I will leave unsaid.

Ten years of being made to feel inferior, disliked,

and unappreciated--

no wonder I do not miss her

and am glad that my son has 50% of the children's time

to teach them things like simple kindness

among other things.

Kind words.

How could they have hurt her to say them?

Kind words.

Verbal gestures that mean a lot to me.

Verbal gestures that I try each and every day to give.

If I pray about it and really open my mind up,

I can even produce a sincere compliment to the teenager

who tries my patience not just each day,

but often the entire period I have him or her.

It always makes me feel bad to see how the student lights up at it,

because, really, how hard was it for me to do it?

Not hard at all.

So why don't I do it more,

instead of concentrating on what is annoying?

(Please understand that some things done

 are quite disruptive to the class.)

It's easier not to, I guess.

Above: me sharing a moment of smiles with Dillon and Scruffy.

Day 45 of 100 Days of Grace for Women

uses this scripture:

Indeed, it is good when you truly obey

our Lord's royal command found in the Scriptures:

"Love your neighbor as yourself."

James 2:8 NLT

Then the person (I have yet to figure out who that is,

although, believe me I've tried) goes on to write:

"In the busyness and confusion of daily life,

it is easy to lose focus,

and it is easy to become frustrated.

We are imperfect human beings

struggling to manage our lives

as best we can,

but we often fall short.

"When we are distracted or disappointed,

we may neglect to share a kind word or a kind deed."

In the case of these pictures --me spending an afternoon

scrap booking with Peyton, my 9 yr. old granddaughter.

"Kindness is a choice.

Sometimes, when we feel happy or prosperous,

we find it easy to be kind.

Other times, when we are discouraged or tired,

we can scarcely summon the energy to utter a single kind word.

But God's word is clear:

we must observe the Golden Rule 'in everything.'"

"God intends that we make the conscious choice

to treat others with kindness and respect,

no matter our circumstances,

no matter our emotions."

Son Doug's girlfriend often paints Addy's nails,

which makes Addy quite happy.

"Kindness, therefore, is a choice

that we, as Christians must make many times each day."

(Whoever compiled this book gives credit to individual sayings,

but not to herself.)

"As much as God loves to hear our worship and adoration,

surely he delights all the more

in seeing our gratitude translated

into simple kindnesses

that keep the chain of praise unbroken,

alive in others' hearts."

Evelyn Christenson

"Sometimes one little spark of kindness

is all it takes to reignite the light of hope

in a heart that's blinded by pain."

Barbara Johnson

I hope that in the days to come

(at least two of the Sandy Hook children victims' funerals are today),

I hope that not only food is brought to the homes, but---

 1) Laundry is done.

2) Gifts, piled up in a closet, are wrapped for the children

still alive in the family,

and the ones for the deceased child put aside

for the parents to deal with later,

3) The children are taken for an outing

 so that maybe the parents can just let loose their grief

in their own house without their other children hearing.

4) and countless other small acts of kindness.

Monday's Prayer

Help me Lord, to see the needs of those around me.

Today, let me show courtesy to those who cross my path.

Today, let me spread kind words

in honor of Your Son.

Today, let forgiveness rule my heart.

And every day, Lord,

let my love for Christ be demonstrated

through the acts of kindness

that I offer to those who need the healing touch

of the Master's hand.

Amen.

Keeping all those who are grieving this week,

in prayers.

Blessings to you all as you go through this week.