OH LORD GOD, LET US FORGET NOT TO BE KIND
Kindness, a simple act that can mean so much. In church last Sunday our Preacher talked about kindness, and then in my woman’s study group, we once again talked on the same subject. That was twice in one 2 hour period of time. Kindness is not something that costs a lot of money, and it is easily given. So why would my Preacher and Sunday school teacher both feel the need to have a lesson plan based around the subject?
If you saw my post on Wednesday, you read about me talking about negativity. I had a couple of anonymous commenters that left less than kind comments. That is not a random occurrence. I have heard many bloggers talk about this same issue. Celebrities experience unkind comments on a regular basis. Is this because people on the internet, or on television and movies, don’t seem like “real” people?
Do you practice kindness is your daily life? How many of us will let someone pull in front of us when you are in a long line of traffic? How about when you see someone with only a few items in the checkout line at the grocery store? We can extend small acts of kindness easily, so why do we let the enemy bring out the worst in us?
There has been a small movement recently, where strangers “pay it forward.” I have only experienced this once in my life, and I was shocked when it happened. I was traveling to a woman’s club meeting, and I had to go on a toll road. When I pulled up to pay my toll, the toll booth worker handed me a slip of paper that said someone had paid my toll. I thanked them, gave them my toll and told them to pay the driver’s toll behind me. I have no idea how many other drivers in the line did the same thing.
A small act of kindness can create a large ripple. This week lets start the ripple. Let’s send waves of kindness across the world. I would love for you to share acts of kindness that you have received or forwarded to someone else. It would be inspirational, and others might like to extend the same acts in other parts of the country.
I leave you with a prayer written by Mary Stewart in 1904. This is the woman’s club collect that is recited at every woman’s club meeting I attend.
Keep us, O God, from pettiness;
let us be large in thought, in word, in deed.
Let us be done with fault-finding and
leave off self-seeking.
May we put away all pretense and meet each
other face to face — without self-pity
and without prejudice.
May we never be hasty in judgment and
always generous.
Let us take time for all things;
make us to grow calm, serene, gentle.
Teach us to put into action our better impulses,
straightforward and unafraid.
Grant that we may realize it is the little
things that create differences,
that in the big things of life we are at one.
And may we strive to touch and to know the great,
common human heart of us all, and
O Lord God, let us forget not to be kind!
–Mary Stewart
Have a blessed weekend!
My mum and also a friend are both in care homes, so i spend a good bit of time at these 2 facilities. It is much easier to avert the gaze and walk quickly by people in the grips of end of life conditions, of physical and mental challenges of all sorts. But, i find i can’t do that as i once did when i was younger. Now i try to catch an eye, share a smile, give an easy complement on a pretty colour. In the grocery stores i will often strike up a conversation with a wee one about their pretty dress or fancy shoes asking if i might have them when the little girl is done with them! Never fails to bring a laugh. My favourite is the pretty colour complement to an obviously worn out mum with small kids in tow at the end of the day on a Friday dragging them and groceries out to the car. Light often comes back into the eyes.
In all this i haven’t spent anything but a moment. My heart, which has taken a right battering these last few years, feels better and so do i.
Happy Sunday, Tania and friends. Thanks for sharing these few moments of your kindness and warmth with us. Travel safely. debs xx
Your are right Debs. I visited with my Grandmother on Saturday. She will be 103 in August, and many of the people that are in these homes are so lonely. Thank you for taking the time to make their day a little better
Thank you for that gentle reminder. I my self have observed that we are becoming more robotic than thinking sometimes. Working with the public I see people who come in angry to the store and expect the worse. I treat them with sincere kindness and have been told on one or more occasions how they didn’t expect my type of customer service. I treat people as I wish to be treated. Sometimes its hard to love the unlovable but God teaches us that. Can I get an amen sister! Enjoy your Sunday!
It is hard working with the public. But, a person behind the counter can change the attitude of all that she comes in contact with.
What a wonderful post! Thanks!!
Mary Stewart’s words – good for home, church, and country. Thank you for sharing them.
Beautiful! Have a blessed Sunday.
Thank you Tania for sharing the prayer! I too have copied it to hang where I can see it as I get ready daily! You are such an inspiration to all of us.
Love the yellow and blue outfit!
Have a wonderful Sunday !
Thank you for being that positive light! I wrote out the prayer and I’ll put it in my Circle book. Have a great week!
love to read your posts every day but especially on Sunday…
Beautiful post!
Hi Tania! I have just started following your blog and love all of your fashion choices! I wanted to tell you about my pay it forward experience a few days ago. I was at a McDonald’s drive thru for a cup of coffee and when I reached the window the cashier said that the car in front had paid for my order. She said that was the 3rd car in line that had done that! Well of course I did the same for the car behind me. I could tell that this young cashier was touched by all of this and it brought tears to my eyes. Something so simple but yet how many lives did that act of kindness touch that day at a McDonald’s drive thru! Thank you for your uplifting post and great blog!!