Here's to you . . .

Here's to you, Mr. Wal-mart Greeter Guy.

Every day you stand at that entrance and exit door greeting cheerful or grumpy, friendly or unfriendly, nice or mean, wide-awake or sleep-walking people. And, yet you still smile and offer a kind word to each one.

*******
I made my weekly trip to Wal-mart, not as full of dread as usual. In a town with only a KMart, Wal-mart, a few smaller grocery stores, and novelty shops, if I have a ton of grocery and non-food stuff, I have to go there. I put it off long enough, so with a deep breath and a pasted-on smile I bounded inside out of the cold at 8:20am.

The tall, silver-haired man at the door greeted me with a smile, commenting on the one plastered on my face at that early hour. Thank you, God, for a smile. I've found that it helps my mood, but also affects others. Thanks to Mr. Greeter Guy for sharing his with all of us. He comes in contact with hundreds of people during his shift. Perhaps his cheer will help mend a broken spirit, encourage a lost soul, or comfort a hurting heart.

My journey through the massive land of stuff lasted an hour and a half! In every department, employees were improving their section - they were moving each item, so no one could find it without searching! AH!

But, after checking out, Mr. Greeter Guy wished me a good day. Grateful for the good cheer, I pushed the overflowing cart to my car. Unloading groceries should be considered part of any exercise plan! Unfortunately, several bags into the effort, the sour cream crashed to the pavement. I finished loading my vehicle, avoiding the white splat below me.

Decision time . . . Do I take more time to take it inside and let them know, or just forget it? Either way, I'm out that money. I had to at least throw away the cracked and leaking container in the trash can at the front of the store. Another humungous sigh escaped. At least coming that early allows me to have a close parking spot - right beside the handicapped and expectant moms slots. I marched back inside.

Mr. Greeter Guy recognized me and gladly took my broken gift. "You just go on back there, get you a new one, and come back here. That way you don't have to wait in Customer Service. I know you've already been through that check-out line." He flashed me another huge smile.

"Thank you so much!" I dashed off with a genuine smile, not the 'I can get through this' one I entered with.

Mr. Greeter Guy, you made my day! And, I even counted the sprint for the sourcream from the front corner of the store to the opposite back corner as my workout for the day. Woo hoo!

God gladly accepts our broken gifts and offerings too. He loves us and wants us to share that love with others. He created us with wonderful smiles. Have you used yours today to cheer another? Let's help each other BEAR life together. Smile!

Unpredictable circumstances

2:54a.m.
“Hmm? Okay, okay. I’m coming.”

I wandered through the dark with my eyes slightly open following the jingling sound of Nugent’s dog collar. The jingling excitement increased as I drew closer to the garage door and his wiggling body. Potty-time always causes quite a stir, even in the middle of the night. Nugent doesn’t seem to care whether a storm is happening until he’s out in it. When he’s gotta go, he’s gotta go NOW.

I hooked his chain to his collar and opened the garage door. Out he flew, barking madly. The wind whipped and howled. Freezing rain flew pass the door. Nugent paused the barking long enough to do his business.

“Nugent!” I hollered. He came, but his chain didn’t reach the garage door. “Nugent! Why did you get yourself tangled? Now I have to go outside too!”

Meanwhile, the cat slipped by me for a sneak escape. I caught his tail, and snatched up the thirteen pound fluff-ball. Apparently the wind blew open the inside door. Mittens didn’t miss his chance to run. Obviously, that didn’t help my mood either.

I slammed the outside door. I slammed the door into the house. I slammed the bathroom door behind me because now I had to go too. Still fuming, I stomped back to the door, grabbed my thickest coat, and shoved my feet back into my slip-on shoes.

Outside I ranted, “Nugent! I can’t believe you did this!” He occasionally likes to tease us to get us to come out to play and in the process gets tangled. I was not thrilled.

Even with my hood on, the freezing rain smacked my face. My flannel pajama pants weren’t nearly as warm as they were inside. Nugent knew of my disapproval and tried to right his wrong, making things worse.

That’s when I saw it. His chain was not caught due to his negligence or orneriness. It was hooked around the post in the ground - totally not his fault. I was mad and falsely accused him before knowing the facts.

How often do I do that - automatically assume the worst of someone? The kids do or don’t do something, and I jump on them before knowing the reason they did or didn’t do it the way I thought they should. Has someone ever walked by you without acknowledging you? Or snapped at you for no apparent reason? Before assuming the worst, give them the benefit of a doubt. Perhaps they had a bad day. Maybe something totally rocked their world, and everything seems to be spinning out of control. Or maybe, something unpredictable happened – like getting a chain caught.

Sorry Nugent. He was curled up against me in the hollow my body made from its side position. I patted his head and felt his warm body rise and fall as he descended into a deeper sleep.

Thank you, God. I’m still learning important lessons from my dog.

Here comes the storm

Weather forecasters are calling for a layer of ice to blanket our region tonight through tomorrow morning. Knowing this, I drove all over the county this morning doing errands in preparation - just in case we end up stuck at home. I'm sure Wal-mart is bustling even more than usual with shoppers out to stock up to prepare for whatever might happen. The milk, diapers, and toilet paper shelves are probably about empty. I know; as a mom you never know for sure how long it'll be before you can get out again, so you prepare while you can - hopefully before the storm.

I began thinking . . . We wait anxiously and prepare for a storm that hopefully comes and goes quickly. Yet, do we await Jesus' arrival with such anticipation?

"God's kingdom is like ten young virgins who took oil lamps and went out to greet the bridegroom. Five were silly and five were smart. The silly virgins took lamps, but no extra oil. The smart virgins took jars of oil to feed their lamps. The bridegroom didn't show up when they expected him, and they all fell asleep.
In the middle of the night someone yelled out, 'He's here! The bridegroom's here! Go out and greet him!'
The ten virgins got up and got their lamps ready. The silly virgins said to the smart ones, 'Our lamps are going out; lend us some of your oil.'
They answered, 'There might not be enough to go around; go buy your own.'
They did, but while they were out buying oil, the bridegroom arrived. When everyone who was there to greet him had gone into the wedding feast, the door was locked.
Much later, the other virgins, the silly ones, showed up and knocked on the door, saying, 'Master, we're here. Let us in.'
He answered, 'Do I know you? I don't think I know you.'
So stay alert. You have no idea when he might arrive." Matthew 25:1-13 (The Message)

This storm has been predicted for about a week now. I've made a lot of preparations, just in case the storm comes. I don't even know for sure that it will.

Jesus' return has been predicted for thousands of years. I don't know when He will return - just that He will as He promised. Is my heart prepared for that? Thankfully, I can say, "YES!"

How about you? Are you ready for Him? Is your heart prepared for His coming?

Why worry?

Here I am worrying about what amazing words I can write for my very first blog. Yet, not more than two minutes ago, I helped my son learn Luke 12:22-28 (NIV) for an upcoming speech meet.

Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat: or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes.
Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?
Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith!

Don’t worry? Ouch! Sigh. But, I’m a professional worrier.

We teased my son that these verses were the perfect choice for him. He frets about everything. At least he comes by it naturally. Both sides of his family tree are incredible worriers. I like to believe it’s because we’re empathetic and understanding people.

That may be part of it, but God doesn’t want me to be anxious about my life. My whole life? But, that’s every part of it! You’ve got to be kidding! I don’t just worry about BIG things. I worry about getting the mounds of laundry done; what we’re going to have for dinner; or helping the kids get their homework done. Every trouble that friends and family have, I worry for them. It hurts to see them in pain emotionally or physically.

I have discovered a release though: I talk with the Lord about it and LEAVE it there. Often I have trouble with that last part. Frequently I leave it and then take it back again. By doing so, I am insinuating that God isn’t able to handle it.

O you of little faith!

If I believe God is who He says He is, and will do what He says He will, then I have to trust and let it go.

Let it go. Now there’s a freeing feeling. And, look! For someone who worried about what to write – there’s now a whole page! My worry for the first blog is over. No worries now – at least until the next one.