May 22, 2012
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{what we should be known for.
and how shopping at costco can be beneficial}
i don’t know if your week started like mine…
perfectly great. long weekend. gorgeous weather. kids home from school. hubs home from work. victoria day {long live the queen}.
swimming. time with friends. time just us. cheering daddy on at his baseball game last night.
hearts full. inflated with all those things that make us happy.
then. {and just like that} at the end of it all. when everyone’s winding down for bed ..
tired from the warm sunshine and the swirl of activity. a phone call.
the kind of phone call that makes your head spin. your heart pound.
words that make you wonder, “wait a minute! am i the enemy here? i thought we were supposed to be on the same side!”
words that make it hard to sleep that night.
hard to shake off the next day.
because hurtful words don’t just shake off. they stick.
and stick long.
they tend to make you feel you’re walking around all bent over..
like you do when you’ve had the wind knocked out of you and you stand there shoulders slumped, holding your stomach.
words can make it hard for us to stand up tall.
i felt that way as i went through my morning.
running errands with the girls. sitting at ben’s poetry competition.
just. kinda. slumped. over. inside.
and then. in the parking lot at costco..
as i was returning my cart, this older man comes towards me, smiling.
with snowy white hair and what sounded like an irish accent.
“here. i’ll take the cart back for ya. i’m returning mine and no need us both going.”
he looked in the van door that was open. the little girls both looking back.
“besides, your hands are much fuller than mine!” he said with a wink.
and i nearly grabbed his little age spotted neck with a big tight hug.
because here! here was someone whose kindness. whose noticing my hands were full.
whose actions and words had just breathed wind BACK INTO THE SAILS OF MY SOUL!
but isn’t it sad though.
to at times feel more love from a complete stranger..
than from those who should know {christians = christ-like} how to show it best?
i thought to myself as i drove away…
everyone acts like they do for a reason. there’s a story there. yes. i get that.
but our past, or even what we’re going through now, should never be an excuse for our wrong behavior. for how we treat others.
regardless of the hardships we’ve faced. of the hurts. the injustices. the pms. and plain crappy days.
we are all given the same choice..
we can be the kind of person that pumps the wind of LIFE into others.
or. the kind of person that lets it all out!
i know what kind i want to be.
and thank you Lord for those random strangers in costco parking lots to remind me!
“this shall all men know you’re my disciples..
{when He could have put so many other things He put instead}
by your love for one another.” jn.13:35
Comments (37)
Love.
I love you, darling friend! So sorry to hear someone was mean and petty to you. And so glad that darling man was the sweetheart he was! We are overdue for a catch-up – hopefully soon. And yeah – about that party – I postponed it again, haha. My life is just not conducive to planning events.
Oh so true.
The hardest part for me is learning (at least I think I’m starting to. . . a tiny bit) to let the Lord fill my sails even when hurtful things that others say/do seem to keep sucking the wind right out.
There are so very many things trying to steal our joy (even, like you said, our Christian “friends”). But our joy in Christ is enough. Enough! Sigh. My responses are so far from where I want them to be. Thank you for the encouraging words, Sweet Friend!
That is so true…..it seems like Christians always are hurting each other with petty behavior. I love it when He shows us His love through a stranger! Have a wonderful week.
I’m so sorry that happened. :-/ Just like the enemy to try and steal joy and peace.
Thank God for angels among us.
I’m so thankful for your Costco parking lot stranger!
Love ya, Amber-Lou.
I wrote a similar post last year about choosing to be a blessing in the lives of others with our words….it is so easy, and the easy way out, to dump on someone and let fly whatever thoughts are that come to mind…sometimes I think that is where you can really tell who are the ones that are not babes in Christ anymore and have moved on to the meat of the word….they choose to be gracious, they choose to overlook….good thing we are instructed to pray for others. (((Hugs)))
Thank you so, so much for writing this. I’ve been carrying some hurtful words around with me for a couple of weeks, and I need to put them down. Far away, where I can’t wander back and pick them back up. And I need to choose to quit wallowing in my hurt feelings (and in the whole perspective of things, it was a pretty small thing) and work on being a blessing, a bit of brightness to others. Thanks. Will be walking tall tonight.
People hurt us and sin scars but the Savior faithfully comes alongside and binds the broken pieces. That which was meant for evil, becomes gloriously beautiful… they are testimonies, like this blog, of the simple yet profound ways in which He teaches, redeems, refines, and transforms….. Without that phone call there would be no “What we should be known for” and that beautiful piece of grace would “not be” : ) I am sorry for your pain, but grateful for the beauty of Him in your life!
I know that feeling…the kind that sticks in your stomach.
Sorry you had something like that happen, but how wonderful for costco customers.
Love your thoughts here. (and all the pretty girls in their fancy dresses =)
xoxo
i’m sorry you had to go thro a phone call like that!
love to you, my dear!
I know that feeling you are talking about. I wish I never had to feel that way, and I wish you didn’t feel that way either. I know what you mean too about feeling like, “Why are you acting like I’m the enemy?” I pray that you don’t have to carry that around for long…
Aren’t Irish accents just sweet? I had a priest in college with one, and he was just so sweet.
having just had an experience soo very similar to this, i can feel all the emotions you mentioned. and, when you’ve been kicked down by someone who should and does know better….you’re just so in need of some kind of life giving words! i’m glad that dear soul at Costco spoke kindness when it was needed.
saying a prayer that you’d have the GRACE to be what is needed in that situation in the days to come.
hugs!
can totally relate. thanks for making me feel as if I’m not so alone in this tender heartedness! amen sister!
Just Sunday we heard a very encouraging message on that verse in John 13 – to be loving, kind, to smile and let the light of Jesus shine in and through us – make someone’s day… see, God is looking out for you
He sent that man to bless your day with a bit of “sunshine”. Remember how God has brought you through other tough times – he will help you through this too and you will be stronger, more confident in who you are in Christ – I’m sorry that you were attacked in this hurtful way – only the enemy trying to get your eyes off Jesus by throwing a curve ball at you. It’s hard not to replay those words over and over in your mind, but as you give those hurts to your caring Father, you’ll be healed and the pain will subside. Praying for you
Whew! I have had those kind of phone calls, too. I remember one lady who really spewed a lot of nasty words into my ear. I listened and listened….. when she stopped, I said, “Are you done?” She said, “Yes.” I said, “Do you feel better?” She was quiet for a long time, and then she whispered, “No.” I really REALLY want to be the person who provides the wind for people’s sails. I really want to be the lifting up kind. You are that kind of person, Amber. Thank you. I am sorry you went through this, but we just have to take these things to the Lord, huh? He is my shock absorber! LOL!
Hello my friend,
Helas..no matter how old we get: harsh words still upset us; sometimes it is pay-back time for our own nastiness, but forgotten..sometimes people judge us so wrongly…always be the pack leader, Amber: hahaha : “calm&assertive” and sometimes we need to not to be so mindfull&kind…but shake it off like a strong dog shakes of the rain…..I have a very kind old man at home, who always notices when “my hands are full”…and he calms me down…And then there is Christ, always Light…and Air….and breathingspace…
Lieve groeten
Godeliva
AMEN, Sista! Needing a little wind blown my way today…
Hope you all have a great day todat!!
today…not todat…:) anyway, have a good one…
I’ve always heard that Costco was better than Sam’s Club….it must be true!! *LOL*
Hope the uglies “unstick” and stay “Unstuck” from you. I hate stuff like that. ;(
Shake it off….and keep truckin’!
Long Live the Queen~
-Cass
Once again you blessed my day!!
Thanks so much for writing…it seemed to really hit the nail on the head in my life right now…know all about those “bent over inside feelings”!! N such a good reminder to be an encourager!! You are such an online blessing!!
Sorry for the blechy part ~ happy for the Costco gentleman ~ hugs to you ~
So sad that someone was ugly to you. I’m grateful the Lord put that “angels unaware” in your path at Costco.
I love the pics you used – I can’t believe how grown up Kate is. She is so beautiful.
I looked twice to realize that was Kate. Did you do a photo shoot with her friends? That is a lovely group of girls. Beautiful thoughts on being people of God that give the wind of grace to others sails. I like what TinyTotsMom said about without the phone call there would be no “What should we be known for.” He uses all things! =)
I miss you, you’re just how I always remember you, sweet, loving, real <3
Love you Sis, Amber
So true that it is so important to show kindness and caring on a daily basis and not to just our loved ones, but to all those who we run into. A smile may be all a stranger needs to live for another day.
Your mom and I were just talking about this, but it’s been going on since The Author of our faith walked the earth: the Roman government wanted to let the innocent Jesus walk, but it was those in the assembly that wanted His death. I don’t think most Christians know how badly they represent our faith, and our Savior, to those inside and outside the camp.
I’m sorry for the unkindness of those who claim to share the ever-kind Jesus. You have to wonder though… do angels have accents?
That right there, that was beautiful. It takes some joy and love to rid us of the sadness of being hurt. God loves you, and so do we.
We never know how our thoughtfulness might impact another person’s day!! I can relate to that ‘kick in the stomach’ feeling you described. So true that the enemy loves to unsettle us. Greater is HE that is in us than he that is in the world!
I am so sorry you went through that, sweet friend. Praying for His Grace and Mercy to surround your heart and to heal the wounds. Love you, hon!
You are the kind of friend who puts the wind back into a person’s sails
I love your description of the man in the costco parking lot, I wish I could heave met him. Don’t you love how God sends you moments like that to say “Don’t be dismayed, I’m here and I’m holding you up by my own hands.”
having a few sore spots from the deceiver’s kicks myself, i felt those slumped over feelings as i read your words. dang. it hurts. but i also felt *and KNOW* HIS wind as well. sometimes through dear friends, you’ve been that to me countless times. and sometimes through angels with accents at cosco.
I don’t know what it is but my cursor will not work in your comment box. I’m in the “comment not working box” now so hopefully this will work.
I know that feeling of getting sucker punched. We know we have to forgive and we do but in my experience unless the person who does the punching does some serious work between themselves and the Lord…they make a habit of this kind of behaviour. It’s sad to watch. They run out of people to take shots at. People tend to become very wary around such a person. Christian or non, there are those people who behave badly…I guess that’s why we need to keep our armour in place!
Well look at those 10 lovely ladies in a row…gorgeous!
Aww, this gives me a sick feeling in my stomach too. A conversation like that -whether a phone call, real life talk, or whatever – HURTS. And so painful. So sorry.
How sweet of God to send someone out of the blue to be so sweet and caring… I love that, and wish for more of those for you!
Hugs! ♥
So sorry you had to go through that yucky-ness. I’ve been there, and even when you know there’s no truth to accusations, it still hurts. How it hurts. But thank God for people like that friendly old man who are willing to bless!
Beautiful.
I’ve been so busy and haven’t taken time to comment on blog posts, but just letting you know that I’m still reading…..
Love to you today.
I am rattling stupefied by the aggregation surrendered. It is Laboursaving but if grouping submit this in the honourable manner.
Leota Schapiro