Kindness (Pass It On)

One day, I’ll update you on my life, whereabouts, and doings, but until then, I want to share a microscopic story with you.

Usually when I do a Random Act of Kindness, I have no idea what the effect is or if it even made a difference at all. But a couple weeks ago, I was blessed to see a tiny ripple of kindness from something I did.

I was waiting in line at the store behind a family with a million items. Not to mention, they were price checking items. Cupcake and Peapod were inhabiting the cart and I was wondering how much longer they could handle waiting so patiently. I glanced behind me because I had a feeling that the line had exploded from just me to half the store. I noticed that the guy behind me had a frozen pizza in hand, and I felt bad that he had to wait so long. By the time these people would be done with their purchases, this pizza would be lukewarm at best.

“You go in front of me.”

“Really?”

“Definitely!”

“Thank you so much!”

I love helping people and I love it even more when they acknowledge it with appreciation. As I was basking in the glow of being thanked for such a minuscule act, I hear the lady behind me with an overflowing basket of stuff say, “Would you like to go in front of me?”  The person behind her declined.

I was so excited to see the effect of the tiny thing I did that I almost missed the second round of thanks from frozen pizza guy.

Have you ever seen the fruits of your kindness?

Giving In not Giving Up (There is a difference)

With Hunny being semi employed, Peapod being an infant, and Cupcake reverting from a fully functioning toddler to asking me to feed her, I’ve kinda had my hands full.  To the point of overflowing.  I had to let something go so that I could give my family the attention that it deserves.  I had to put the blog down for a while.  It’s not that I don’t want to blog.  I have blog entries in my head from months ago.  I just can’t right now, and the only reason I was able to write this post is because Hunny has a temporary job assignment.

My usual schedule is such that I get up early to attend to Peapod’s needs.  Then Cupcake needs breakfast.  Hunny stays in bed until he needs coffee.  From that point on, there’s no telling what our day could bring and I have to organize on the fly and get us all ready to go somewhere or do something or help someone.  Getting us ready to go somewhere is a huge production including: figuring out what snacks to bring, how much formula we need, what extra clothes to bring (Peapod is a spitty little thing), and what cargo we can shove into our car.  After the day is done, Hunny works on art until the early morning hours.  My brain is mush at this point and I can’t do much of anything.  I can’t sleep without him and we haven’t moved from our one bedroom apartment… yet (An issue for another day).  I did attempt to sleep by myself once.  It didn’t work out so well.  By the time I fall asleep, I have to get up with Peapod and Cupcake needs breakfast and the cycle begins.

The sliver of free time that I do I have I need to use to shower, but I would rather catch up on the blogs I read and I still can’t read them all.  But most of them all have the same news: “I’m writing a book!”  It’s discouraging to see almost every blogger that I read get a book deal or an agent, while I’m over here covered in spit up unable to do laundry because my neighbor has occupied the washer.  However, it is also encouraging to know these people (who regularly post with unintentional typos and grammatical errors) are getting agents and deals.  If they can do it, why not me?  It may be longer down the line for me to accomplish my writing goals, but I have a life.   My life right now is supporting my wonderful husband during an exceedingly difficult time and making sure Cupcake and Peapod are equipped to become the people God created them to be.  Honestly, what could be more important than that?

 

Thirsty Thursday: Bilhah and Zilpah, You and Me

Reading through the story of Jacob, I came across two practically unknown women: Bilhah and Zilpah.  Have you ever heard anyone talk about these women?  I haven’t.  When I think about Jacob and his family, I think about Rachel, Leah, and the twelve tribes of Israel (And I think about Joseph because he’s my favorite).  Something about these women struck me, so I thought I’d investigate.  Maybe I could do a character study about these women.  But they are never quoted in the Bible.  There are very few facts listed about these women.  Here’s what we know for sure:

• They were originally Laban’s servants.  He gave them to his daughters when they married Jacob.
• They were given by Rachel and Leah to Jacob as wives when Rachel couldn’t bare children and Leah had stopped bearing children.
• Their children were named by their mistresses, Rachel and Leah.
• Jacob never talks about them as his wives.  They are even described as his “female servants” in Genesis 32:22.

Let’s put aside the fact that they weren’t able to chose a husband for themselves and they didn’t even get to name the children they had.  The most outrageous story about these women is this: Jacob’s brother Esau is about to meet him in the country.  Jacob fears that Esau has come for revenge and will slaughter him and his entire family.  Jacob decides to butter up his older by two minutes brother by sending him presents of cattle and servants.  His messengers tell him that Esau is still coming and he’s bringing 400 men with him.  Jacob gets really scared.  So he divides up his people and cattle into two camps.  Jacob figures one will die and one will manage to get away.  Then Jacob has his personal servants and cattle meet Esau with gifts a second time.  Esau is still coming with all those men!  Jacob divides up his family to meet his brother.  He sends Zilpah and Bilhah and their kids first.  Then he sends Leah and her children.  Rachel and Joseph are the very last.  Maybe by then Esau and his bandits will be too tired by all they slaying that Rachel and Joseph will be spared.

Wow.

Can you imagine being married to someone and they place you ahead of the family they consider their “real” family to be a human shield for them?  That’s what Jacob did.  To Bilhah, Zilpah, and even Leah.  He didn’t want to be married to Leah in the first place, but that’s another story for another time.

So what’s the deal?  What can we learn from Bilhah and Zilpah?  Except for the cruel conditions with which Jacob treated them, they are a lot like us.  Followers of Christ are called to lay down our lives to follow Him.

im.  We learn that this earth is not our home and nothing we have really belongs to us.  Our children belong to God.  Our money belongs to God.  Our families belong to God.  Our friends belong to God.  Our time on earth no matter how short or long is His.  Everything we see is His.  We are to be good stewards of the people and things He has given us.

Rachel and Leah claimed Bilhah and Zilpah’s children as their own.  They even named them.  Did you know that Jesus is going to give us names when we get to heaven?  He’s going to bestow names to us that only the recipient knows.

I think Bilhah and Zilpah are good examples to us.  There is no account of them complaining, which we aren’t to do either.  Even when Jacob sent them to be human shields.  There is no account of them not loving or taking good care of the children that were only considered theirs by Jacob.

12 Days of Christmas (Five Heartwarming Movie Moments)

You’re going to get blitzed by posts, and I want to apologize for that.  A stomach flu ravaged our household and we’re slowly but surely getting back together.  Being sick is never convenient, but I think it’s most inconvenient at the holidays.

I’m glad that  I didn’t limit myself to just Christmas movies for this list.  I think Christmas is a great time to reflect on happiness and warmed hearts.  Sometimes Christmas itself causes the heart ache.  So it’s nice to look outside the tinseled norm to find happy moments.

5) When Horton shares his cookies with Kangaroo in Horton Hears a Who!

After she has tried to destroy his character, destroy his precious flower, and kill him; Horton forgives Kangaroo.  He not only forgives her, but shares cookies with her!  Ok, cookies aren’t that big of a deal.  Fine.  Horton lets her protect his friends with her umbrella.   He allows her to become part of the solution instead of rejecting her or condemning her to isolation.  Inviting her into his life is touching and a teachable moment for us all.

4) When Buddy sees Jovie light up the Christmas tree in Elf.

How adorable is Will Ferrell in Elf?  It almost makes you forget all the horrifically terrible movies he has made over the years.  Almost.  God forbid my father should ever meet Will Ferrell.  He is going to ask Will for his money back for several movies my mother dragged him to see.  And knowing my father, he will get his money back.  He’s very charming.

3) When Phil wakes up in the morning and sees that Rita is still there in Groundhog Day.

Something every writer should aspire to do in a story is show a character’s arc.  For non-writers, that means seeing a character’s growth.  They may become better, worse, or indifferent, but we have to see something change or what’s the point?  Seeing Phil start the film as a self centered jerk, who everyone hates, become a caring individual that an entire town loves because of his actions during the course of a single day reminds me why I write in the first place.  Imparting encouragement and hope to a person through something I’ve written is a lofty goal of mine.  I hope to accomplish it one day.

2) When Nickie realizes Terry was the crippled lady who bought his painting in An Affair to Remember.

Seriously, if you can watch that scene and not cry, you are made of stone.  Stone, I say!  Nickie is extremely harsh to Terry because he believes that she stood him up and rejected his marriage proposal.  What he doesn’t know is that she was on her way to meet him when she was struck by a car.  It’s a gentle reminder that we don’t know everything that is going on in a person’s life.  Even people who we know really well, we don’t know what’s going on in their minds, which is why we should be a little extra forgiving and understanding.  As the French proverb says, “To know all is to forgive all.” (On a side note, I want almost every dress she wears in this movie!  Stunning!)

1) When the kids trim Charlie Brown’s scraggly Christmas tree in A Charlie Brown Christmas.

“It just needs a little love.”  Who doesn’t need just a little love.  I think our world would be so much brighter if we gave each other a little love.  Especially if we gave the “scraggly” people love.  You know who I’m talking about.  Your mean spirited neighbors.  Your teacher who picks on you deliberately.  The person who excludes you purposefully on facebook.  They need love and kindness.  Probably more than we can realize.

12 Days of Christmas (Four Years of Marriage)

 

 

Four years doesn’t sound like a long time, but when you think of all the obstacles and drama Hunny and I have overcome to get to this moment, it’s a triumph.  It is not a triumph we can claim as our own.  Before we met, Hunny and I knew God and started a relationship with Him through believing His Son.  When we got married, we built our marriage on Him.  The Bible says that a house that is built on the rock can handle the storms of life, but a house that is built on sand won’t be able to stand up to the storms (Matthew 7:24-26). It also says that rain falls on the just and the unjust alike (Matthew 5:45), so whether we like it or not, storms will come and go in our lives.  But the great part about that is we don’t have to worry about them.  We can withstand them and come out stronger for them through the strength given us by Jesus (Philippians 4:13).

Our love must be something special because of the four years we’ve been married, three couples have gotten married in December.  Of those couples, at least one person was invited or knew about our wedding.  Some of those people used ornaments for their wedding favors like we did.  Hunny and I started a trend.  A love trend.

12 Days of Christmas (Three Christmas Trees)

I’m going old school on you in this post.  About 169 years.  These three trees represent Christmas Past, Christmas Present, and Christmas Future.

Christmas Past

That was our Christmas tree last year.  The Charlie Brown tree is a great representation of Christmases past.  I’ve endured some tough Christmases.  Three years ago on Christmas Eve, I thought I was dying.  I had a temperature of 103 and I seriously believed God was taking me home to be with Him.  I was in immense pain.  My family came to our little apartment to celebrate Christmas.  The fever kept climbing even with taking pain relievers, so Hunny and my dad had to carry me down the stairs and into the car.  Then help me walk into the ER and help me into a wheelchair.  They tested me for everything.  It turned out I had a kidney infection and I spent Christmas Eve in the hospital.

When I was about eight years old, my dad almost died.  On Christmas Eve.  I don’t remember much of that year.  He was immobilized during that year.  One time, I went in to check on him.  The curtains were drawn and the lights were off.  It was the darkest room I ever walked into.  I looked over at my dad, who was in the bed motionless.  He looked dead.  I ran out of that room as fast as I could.  We had to move in with my Grandmother because my mom couldn’t afford to pay the utilities and feed us and take care of dad…  I can’t think about that anymore, so I’m skipping ahead.

Christmas Present

Christmas present: My dad is alive and he’s a proud Grandpa or “Gampa” as his granddaughter calls him.  He adores Peapod, and the feeling is mutual.

This is part of the window display beside our apartment.  It’s beautiful.  It is almost unbelievable that this will be the last Christmas I spend as a resident of Statesvegas.  Every year, I think we are going to move and nothing changes.  This coming year we are moving, but it’s almost unbelievable to me because of all the times I prayed and believed that we would move and it didn’t happen.  I told Hunny that we should try to do as much as we can in Statesvegas this year because it will never be this convenient to do things here again.

Christmas Future

Christmas Future is always exciting because it can be anything.  Christmas Future could also be nothing.  We don’t know how many Christmases we have to celebrate.  I chose to be happy and joyful this Christmas because Christmas Present is the Christmas I have.

12 Days of Christmas (Two Christmas Angels)

Peapod and Cupcake are my Christmas angels.  Peapod is three months old and he’s smiling now.  He brings so much joy to my life.  Almost three years ago, Cupcake was born.  She’s adorable and a firecracker and she isn’t easy to deal with, which forces me to be a better person.  They make going through this most difficult Christmas season a little easier.  I am so thankful that God put them in my life.

This means even more now that 26 people will not be with their families this Christmas.  One person lost his entire family.  There is an untold number of people whose lives have been changed  because one person didn’t get the help he needed.  It is incredibly easy to look at ourselves and see the hard times around us and dwell on them.  We can’t dwell on them.  Our Christmas angels need us.

You are a Christmas angel to someone and you don’t even know it.  There is a person in your life who thinks of you, talks to you, or texts you when they need a smile.  There is a person who is sad and lonely and they need us to be strong for them.  We have to give up our selfish tendencies and put on a smile.

Don’t forget to give your Christmas angel a hug. Give them a hug right now.  I know I will.