Encourage

This morning was busy... just like every other morning.  

Madeline went to school early for choir and I dropped Gavin off as usual.  Wednesdays are my bible study days so I usually try to have everything together for myself when I drop him off at school.  Gavin gets dropped off at 9 a.m.  and bible study doesn't start  until 10 a.m. so I had an hour to kill.  I seriously debated on coming home and just doing nothing for a while but instead decided to run to JoAnn's Fabric and Crafts to get the rest of the fabric for a project Madeline wants to do. 


I wandered around the store, talking on the phone... remembering how much my dad hates when people try to talk to sales clerks while on their phone.  Dad would not be proud of my behavior at JoAnn's but just like a defiant teenager, I continued on...


Finally, I had everything I needed and made my way to the checkout line.  I had exactly 20 minutes to check out and get to church.  Despite there being two ladies checking people out, it seemed to be taking FOREVER but why would I expect anything different.  That's how it goes.  You're in a hurry... the clerk is NOT!  


While I was impatiently patiently awaiting my turn, out of the corner of my eye I caught a young girl walking my way.  I didn't turn around but I could clearly hear her speaking to the lady waiting behind me, 

"Excuse me, Ma'am.  I am selling bookmarks for 50 cents.  Would you like to buy one?"  

She had such a sweet voice and was so incredibly polite but despite her sweet and respectful nature, the lady did exactly what I would normally do; she told her no.  

At the moment that she said no, I could still see the little girl out of the corner of my eye.  her eyes fell to the floor... her shoulders dropped and she took a step back... defeated.  I remembered feeling that way myself.  I remember trying something and failing.  I remembered reaching out to someone and being rejected. 

I remembered all of those moments in my life that I have physically feel all of my courage pouring out of my body in an instant.  
 

I wish I could say that my instant thought was to reach out but it wasn't.  "She will have to get used to hearing no" is what I thought.  That's what I heard my voice saying.   The truth is my heart is not nearly as big as I wish it were... Nope, not on its own.  It isn't warm and caring... not on its own.  It isn't generous and patient... not on its own.  Yet, in the moment that the cold and uncaring thought was completed in my mind, I heard another voice saying "Check your wallet for 50 cents."  As I was reaching for my purse and digging in my change wallet... that is usually empty because I keep my change in the car for trips through the drive-thru, I prayed "Oh Lord, let there be 50 cents in my purse."  I was filled with sweet anticipation at the thought that I could reach out to this precious defeated discouraged little girl.  Of course, there was 50 cents in my wallet today. 



I turned around, despite the fact that my turn at the register had come.  I walked right past the lady behind me.

"Excuse me, young lady.  Did I hear you say that you are selling bookmarks?"  I asked.


Her eyes lit up and twinkled like stars in the sky.  "Yes, I am!"  she replied in almost disbelief.


"Could you tell me how much they are?" I asked as I bent down and looked into her now happy face. 


"They are 50 cents" she replied with a new confidence.

"Well, I have 50 cents and my daughter was just saying that she needed a bookmark.  Could I buy one of them?"  

As her mother and I checked out on separate registers the young girl told me of her love for books.  She especially loves the Cul-de-Sac Kids series but enjoys about any mystery.  She proudly told me that she's a big book worm and that reading was one of her favorite things to do.  She thanked me more than once.  My new friend is an amazing, smart and beautiful young lady.  I thoroughly enjoyed the short chat we had.  


Tonight I shared this story with Chris and the kids and what this very brief experience taught me.  We are so powerful.  We really are.  We have the power to rip every bit of courage out of someone.  We can cause their eyes to fall to the ground, their shoulders to slump, them to walk backwards and literally retreat and not talk to anyone else....

OR

We can literally place COURAGE inside of them.  

The word encourage means "to put courage inside" of something.  Every single day we all have this amazing power... dare I even call it a superpower!  We can lift up someone's chin, straighten their stance and FILL them WITH courage.  


I'd have missed this whole thing if it hadn't been for the Holy Spirit telling me to check my purse for 50 cents.  That's definitely not what I would normally have done... afterall, I was in a hurry...  I wonder how many opportunities I've missed because I was in a hurry.

So, let us be reminded that we have a superpower but if we don't slow down and take time to really listen to and obey the Spirit, we might totally miss the opportunities to use it!

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. 1 Thessalonians 5:11

Pretty

Yesterday morning Gavin was searching for pictures of an Egyptian Plover.  For those of you who are now thinking, "a what?" it is a beautiful little bird that lives in Africa.  It's the sole member of its genus... but now I've digressed back into a science teacher.  Here's a photo of the cute little thing:

Photo from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Egyptian_Plover

Isn't it so cute!?  Anyway, Gavin was talking all about this little girl who had done her bird research on the Egyptian Plover when I realized... 


He was talking about a GIRL!  


His voice was just a little bit different than usual and he kept saying her name... over.and.over!  That may not sound all to crazy to some but my kids are not that interested in the opposite sex just yet, which suits me just fine!  


Thinking myself sly, I asked "Is she pretty?"  


In perfect Gavin style, his response made me giggle... and think.
  

"Yes, sometimes.  It depends on what she's wearing.  Sometimes she wears glasses and I think she's really pretty when she wears her glasses."



I hid my amusement over how stinkin' cute my kid is with the realization that I need to read a little Proverbs 31 with that boy!  How I wish he'd said she was pretty because she was kind to other students or giving to those in need but... alas, he is seven.  At least he said her glasses made her pretty, right?  


It's moments like these that I realize it's time to focus on a topic with my kids.  What makes someone pretty?  We've talked about what makes someone a good friend but we don't really talk about "pretty."  Yet, I know full well that if I don't help them define what is pretty they'll get the definition somewhere else!  Goodness knows that can be downright ugly!


But what do I consider pretty?  Is it my outward appearance?  Is it who I am on the inside?  Or is it some combination of both?  Here are a few descriptions given in Proverbs 31:

• She is more precious than rubies. Her husband can trust her, and she will greatly enrich his life.  She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life. (v 10-12)
• She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future.  When she speaks, her words are wise, and she gives instructions with kindness.  She carefully watches everything in her household and suffers nothing from laziness. (v 25-27)
• Charm is deceptive, and beauty does not last; but a woman who fears the Lord will be greatly praised. (v 30)

How do you define pretty?  Honestly, sometimes I get stuck in my physical appearance and think that I have to have everything in place before I leave the house.  Seriously, I love my lipstick and big hair!  Don't even get me started on the "necessity" of heels... but sometimes my hair gets all flat...  What If I had to shave it?  Would I still be pretty?  And my lips... no matter what lipstick I use they pale in comparison to Angelina's.... Am I still pretty?  And as much as I hate to admit it, some days my feet hurt in my heels and I have to wear flats...  Oh the tragedy of it all!


Every single physical thing that we think makes us pretty can be lost but trust, strength, dignity, the ability to laugh, wise words, kindness, good work ethic and a love of the Lord... these will not fade.  


I often talk to Madeline about what makes her pretty, careful to point out all her wonderful traits but I don't talk to Gavin about the topic much.  Clearly, it's something I need to do and something I WILL do!  I also need to model it too.  Do they see these things in my life?  Because what they see in me is even more important than what they hear from me.


How do you teach your children what pretty is?  Do you teach them at all?  Remember, if you don't someone else definitely will!

The "Kiss-Fist Bump"

The worst thing in the whole world has happened...


Seriously, it happened so quickly that I didn't even see it coming.


Gavin will no longer kiss me when I drop him off at school!!!


Now, I realize it could be worse... he still wants me around.  In fact, he even requested that I come up for lunch today... even though that was way more for the Happy Meal he asked me to bring than because he wanted my company, it's still something!  Right?  


As he got out of the car this morning, I received my very first "kiss-fist bump."  He kissed his fist and touched it to mine and said "Now, no one will know that we kissed."  It was sweet and sad at the same time.  I both long for him to grow into a strong independent man and yearn for the days that he would lay upon my chest and sleep.  


It made me think, however, of how we sometimes hide our love for Christ from others.  Have you ever been afraid to pray out loud or even tell someone that you prayed for them?  Maybe you shy away when you see those "Jesus Freaks" talking or the "Bible Thumpers" getting together.  You know they're really nice but you don't want others to see you with them.  What about that time you heard your friends making fun of them and you didn't join in but you didn't defend them either.  


Maybe it's just me that has found myself in those places but as I have grown in my relationship with Christ I have learned that it is not something I am willing to hide anymore.  I will not give God a "kiss-fist bump" hoping that no one will see that I love Him.  I want to be bold and unashamed just as Paul urges us to do in 2 Timothy 1:8-  


"So never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord. And don’t be ashamed of me, either, even though I’m in prison for him. With the strength God gives you, be ready to suffer with me for the sake of the Good News."


Now, I know that Gavin's "kiss-fist bump" is not because he's ashamed of me in the same way that Paul is speaking here.  It's a normal part of a little boy growing up.  Knowing Gavin, it probably won't even last that long... I hope anyway!  Regardless, it's a good reminder to me to not hide my love for my Lord but to be bold... to show my love for Him and His people in every way that I can! 


How are you being bold today or are you still afraid to be open about your faith?  I'm praying that you will look to God for the boldness that only He can give to share the grace that He has given you!




Here are a few nuggets that the Bible gives about boldness:

Ephesians 6:19

"And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel. "

Romans 15:15

"I have written you quite boldly on some points, as if to remind you of them again, because of the grace God gave" 

2 Corinthians 3:12

"Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold."