Soooooooooo I am thinking that this is going to be A LOT tougher than either Sarah or I imagined!!!! I never, ever thought that I would say this, but it was actually much easier to just do a random act of kindness and to find the joy in giving. It is much more difficult to actually pay attention, to look closely, and to see something special mirrored in the heart of another. BUT the bigger question is GOOD LORD what do I do with that spark once I have it. That being said, this is what my Where's Waldo-like"do you see what I see" quest went today!
I was excited to begin my day today because I was headed out of town to spend some time with a couple of friends, do a little shopping at some quaint shops, and I figured that the seeing world was my proverbial oyster . . . um NOT! I saw lots of sparkly things, things in ribbons and bows, and unique little trinkets and fun things. I saw a lot of people maneuvering like a herd of cattle trying to find the perfect little gift for that special someone, but nothing really sparked my interest a whole lot.
When I was in a shop, there was a lady that made bracelets out of spoons and forks. Sounds weird, but they were really quite unique and interesting. I found one that said FAITH on it, but it was too big. My friend brought it to the counter to see if it could be tightened to fit and it could so I decided to make my purchase. She gave me the item for $10 less than the asking price . . . very generous and very sweet. BUT still not what my heart seemed to be searching for . . . sigh . . . the day was progressing and still NOTHING!
We went for a late lunch, and I thought, it will happen here. We had a nice lunch filled with laughter and conversation, but nothing that really was what I was looking for. We had a great waiter and I thought about leaving an extra tip, but well, it still just did not feel like what I was trying to find. We all went over to see our friends new house and it was filled with her 3 kiddos. I LOVE KIDDOS!!!! One of the things that I miss the most about serving a church is being around the crazy chaos that seems to accompany a church house filled with kiddos. She invited us in and immediately I had kiddos surrounding me. They range in age. Trevor is her oldest is 13, Ali is the middle and she is 6, and finally, there is a totally adorable little spitfire named Tyler and he is 3. She assured me that they typically don't warm up to strangers, but then I am well aware that I am not typical where kiddos are concerned . . . bottom line, kiddos kind like me! COOL!
Ali showed me all kinds of gymnastic tricks like cartwheels, somersaults, and she is working on mastering the table (aka backbend). Trevor sat and chatted like a nice young man and I enjoyed his more grown up conversation. And then there was Tyler . . . what a hoot is all I can say. He was all excited and telling me all kinds of cool things when I said, "Shut the front door!" which is a saying that I often use like "you have to be kidding" or that is "way too cool!" And his reply with his head shaking back and forth, "Nooooooooooo, the front door was shut!" I am still laughing so hard that I can hardly write!!! I feel sparks everywhere and the tears are starting to well up in my eyes . . . thank God for letting me see those kiddos!
I saw the joy of life through the eyes of 3 kiddos today! Ali reminded me of days past when Sarah used to flip all over, do round-off-back-handsprings, and use the world as her Jungle Jim. She could climb before she could walk, and I remembered all the excitement and joy I have felt as I watched her grow into a beautiful young woman. Trevor reminded me of my son Jordan who has now grown up into a man with a wife of his own. I remembered him as a gawky 13 year old caught somewhere between a boy and a young man . . . such a tough time for boys. And Tyler reminded me of the joy and excitement mirrored in life. I left tonight feeling tons of sparks, and as I drove down the road heading for home, I remembered the song "Thank God for Kids!"
I do not know where the sparks that were lit will go just yet, nor do I know what I will do for someone because of them, but I do know that I really did see God today!
Thank God for Kids by the Oak Ridge Boys
If it weren't for kids have you ever thought
There would be no Santa Claus
Or look what the stork just brought
Thank God for kids
And we'd all live in a quiet house
With out Big Bird or Mickey Mouse
And kool aid on the couch
Thank God for kids
Thank for for kids, there's magic for a while
A special kind of sunshine in a smile
Do you ever stop to think or wonder why
The nearest thing to heaven is a child
Daddy, how does this thing fly?
And a hundred other where's and whys
I really don't know but I try
Thank God for kids
And when I look down in those trusting eyes
That look to me, I realize
There's a love that I can't buy
Thank God for kids
Thank God for kids, there's magic for a while
A special kind of sunshine in a smile
Do you ever stop to wonder why
The nearest thing to heaven is a child
And when you get down on your knees tonight
Thank the Lord for his guiding light
And pray they turn out right
Thank God for kids
Thank God for kids
Sarah Day 2: It's the little things!
Today I spent A LOT of time looking for what I was going to write about. That's the beauty of this blog, I have to really look and listen in order to find something that strikes me to write. I need to search for something that's beautiful or emotional . . . or maybe just something that tells a story. And I came across two people who were all of those things.
I started serving at Longhorn Steakhouse in Fargo a few weeks ago. LoHo is where I decided I would like spend my spare time on Friday and Saturday nights. It's a fun and relaxed atmosphere with great food and great people. The extra cash doesn't hurt either!
Today, a couple of the guests I was serving were two ladies. They were older. I'm guessing it was a mom and her daughter. Mom was probably in her 80's and the daughter looked to be in her 60's. They were inspiring from the very beginning and they were so cute to watch. They seemed to have most of the same hobbies and interests. They laughed back and forth as they told stories. They had the most beautiful hands. Hands that reminded me of my Great Grandma and my Grandma. I knew that they were two hard-working women.
After I left their tab at the table, I stopped back to check on them. I was surprised to see that they left me two handmade "snowflakes" on my book. When I picked them up to take a closer look, the ladies began to tell me about each one. The ladies told me that they're made using a certain delicate technique, and that they have made hundreds of them. They said a couple of years ago, they made 500 of them in one summer, and they used them to decorate a Christmas tree. Of course I asked them when they find the time to make all of these delicate creations . . . they went on to explain that they really enjoy watching the Red Hawks, so they like to make them when they watch the Red Hawks play. They proceeded to say that they have terrible eating habits, so these snowflakes keep them away from the concession stands. That made me giggle since they were both so tiny.
As the two ladies stood up to leave for the evening, I told them their snowflakes were beautifully created and that I couldn't wait to hang one of them on my Christmas tree. I explained that I was only going to hang one on my tree, because I wanted to keep one with me in my apron. Every time I open my black book to take an order, I'll find my tiny little snowflake and I'll remember how wonderful those two ladies were. I know this snowflake will be something that makes my bad days better. I only wish that I would have told the two of them about this blog. I know they would love to hear how much their story meant to me.
0 comments:
Post a Comment