Weekend Kindness
Reaching Others Through Kindness

Well, it’s been two months since Weekend Kindness started back up.  It’s been great getting to know everyone and getting to read all the great contributions.

If you know of anyone that you think would like to contribute to Weekend Kindness, drop me a line and let me know and I’ll check them out.

Stay tuned this month as I’ll be unveiling a new competition for Weekend Kindness authors and contributors.  I think you’ll like it!

Top 10 Referrers to Weekend Kindness for September 2007

1. Jess with 86 visits.
2. Brittany Leigh with 58 visits
3. Mary with 25 visits
4. Anna with 25 visits
5. KAlexaLott with 7 visits
6. Mrs. Brigham with 7 visits
7. Dana with 5 visits
8. MInTheGap with 5 visits
9. Colleen Petterson with 3 visits
10. Revka with 3 visits

So, it looks like I have some work to do to get people over to this site too!

Here’s one that’s going to take some talent:

Compose a love song.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t know that I’ve ever composed a song, let alone a love song.

Now, I’ve come up with a lot of poetry in my time– nothing that I’d like to duplicate here!  When my wife and I were dating we each got a notebook for each other and we wrote things to each other in it and we swapped them to read them after we got married.  I wrote lots of rhyming stuff in there for her (I’m not really good at the non-rhyming poetry).

And I’ve also come up with a few ditties– but I mostly play things I know with improvisation.  I think I may have come up with two or three true songs in my lifetime, but many were repetitive and were about Lego figures.

But in any case, for those of you out there that want to do something really special, put the time in and give it a try.  Regardless of how it comes out I’m sure they’ll be pleased!

Children can make any trip an adventure– if you can see them for the blessings that they are instead of the trouble that they give you.? One of the neatest things that I’ve seen with my kids is how that any twig can be a sword, swinging for action, any flower can be something that mom would love to have, and any puddle was made for them to either jump in or throw rocks in.

What’s amazing is that they see the detail that we tend to overlook because of the way we operate.? We tend to see the big pictures, the things that loom in the distance.? Our children tend to want to see the very next thing to happen.? They do not take for granted any minute (as seen in how they protest going to bed even though you promise that they’ll have time to play with the new toy tomorrow).

One of the characteristics that I find most interesting is how they can find something to play with regardless of whether it’s the best, shiniest, newest, etc.? Take, for instance, what we picked up from the Disney store this week:

My oldest two have a fascination with pirates.? We had a college group come through our church and they went to do their demonstration to the junior church class, but were not quite prepared to find that our class was composed of 3-6 year olds.? In any case, when these college kids asked my kids what they wanted to be, they replied “pirates” which the college kids thought was “pilots.”? So, for a few days they wanted to be “pilots.”? But that didn’t last.

Anyway, with getting Peter Pan stuff, Patch the Pirate stuff, and the numerous swords we have around the house (I think it’s close to 4 sets?) it wasn’t long until it was everything pirate again.? This week, we went and got some treasure from the Disney store.? It was $4.50 a bag (small bag, crammed with as much you could get in it).? My boys, they came home and were fascinated not with the “gold coins”, but with the jewels or gems– though one of them calls them dimes for some strange reason.

In any case, they were happy with these plastic?gems and secretly were plotting what they could buy with them– but that is kids.? They do not need anything fancy or elaborate to have fun thinking, dreaming and playing.? They see what’s going on today, and have faith that their life will be pretty much the same tomorrow.

For us as parents, we could learn a lot here about trusting our Heavenly Father to take care of us and to take joy in those things that we are provided with instead of always wanting to have more.

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I was at the corner grocery store buying some early potatoes.

I noticed a small boy, delicate of bone and feature, ragged but clean, hungrily appraising a basket of freshly picked green peas.

I paid for my potatoes, but was also drawn to the display of fresh green peas.

I am a pushover for creamed peas and new potatoes.

Pondering the peas, I couldn’t help overhearing the conversation between Mr. Miller (the store owner) and the ragged boy next to me.

“Hello Barry, how are you today?”

“H’lo, Mr. Miller. Fine, thank ya. Jus’ admirin’ them peas. They sure look good.”

“They are good, Barry.

How’s your Ma?”

“Fine. Gittin’ stronger alla’ time.”

“Good. Anything I can help you with?”

“No, Sir. Jus’ admirin’ them peas.”

“Would you like take some home?” asked Mr. Miller.

“No, Sir. Got nuthin’ to pay for ‘em with.”

“Well, what have you to trade me for some of those peas?”

“All I got’s my prize marble here.”

“Is that right? Let me see it” said Miller.

“Here ’tis. She’s a dandy.”

“I can see that.”

Hmmmmm, only thing is this one is blue and I sort of go for red.

Do you have a red one like this at home?” the store owner asked.

“Not zackley but almost.”

“Tell you what. Take this sack of peas home with you and next trip this way let me look at that red marble”, Mr. Miller told the boy.

“Sure will. Thanks Mr. Miller.”

Mrs. Miller, who had been standing nearby, came over to help me.

With a smile said, “There are two other boys like him in our community; all three are in very poor circumstances.  Jim just loves to bargain with them for peas, apples, tomatoes, or whatever.  When they come back with their red marbles, and they always do, he decides he doesn’t like red after all and he sends them home with a bag of produce for a green mar ble or an orange one, when they come on their next trip to the store.”

I left the store smiling to myself, impressed with this man.  A short time later I moved to Colorado, but I never forgot the story of this man, the boys, and their bartering for marbles. Several years went by, each more rapid than the previous one.

Just recently I had occasion to visit some old friends in that Idaho community and while I was there learned that Mr. Miller had died. They were having his visitation that evening and knowing my friends wanted to go, I agreed to accompany them. Upon arrival at the mortuary we fell into line to meet the relatives of the deceased and to offer whatever words of comfort we could. 

Ahead of us in line were three young men.  One was in an army uniform and the other two wore nice haircuts, dark suits and white shirts…all very professional looking. They approached Mrs. Miller, standing composed and smiling by her husband’s casket.

Each of the young men hugged her, kissed her on the cheek, spoke briefly with her and moved on to the casket.  Her misty light blue eyes followed them as, one by one, each young man stopped briefly and placed his own warm hand over the cold pale hand in the casket.

Each left the mortuary awkwardly, wiping his eyes.  Our turn came to meet Mrs. Miller.  I told her who I was and reminded her of the story from those many  years ago and what she had told me about her husband’s bartering for marbles.

With her eyes glistening, she took my hand and led me to the casket. “Those three young men who just left were the boys I told you about. They just told me how they appreciated the things Jim “traded” them. Now, at last, when Jim could not change his mind about color or size….they came to pay their debt.”

“We’ve never had a great deal of the wealth of this world,” she confided, “but right now, Jim would consider himself the richest man in Idaho “  With loving gentleness she lifted the lifeless fingers of her deceased husband. Resting underneath were three exquisitely shined red marbles.

The Moral: We will not be remembered by our words, but by our kind deeds.  Life is not measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath.

The Complete Husband
By Lou Priolo

The last lesson in the crash course on Biblical communication talks about the importance of maintaining a spirit of unity.  God does not want conflicts between His children.  Jesus prayed in John 17 that we would all be one, and when we’re at odds with one another we’re far from being one.

If we’ve offended someone, it’s our duty to make sure that we go and try to make it right.  Just as if someone’s offended with us they should go and confront us.  The idea is that we should meet each other half way.  As the husband and leader in the home, we have the greater responsibility to make sure that we are right with our wife.

If you’re not able to resolve it between the two of you, you need to go to someone and get help!  This is important.  If you do not have a right relationship with your wife, it can hinder your prayer life, it can impact your family, and it can degrade your relationship.

When my husband and I were first married, I had the most awful time taming my tongue. I would whine & nag, cause an argument, promise that this would not happen again, only to do it all over again the next day. I would pray for the patience and strength to stop this nasty behavior and really did try my hardest, yet nothing was working. During this time, my husband wound up being sent to the middle east for several months. He did not have internet access where he was located, nor could he call home often. As if these were not challenging enough, anybody who has ever been on an international phone call knows how “fun” they can be. ;o)

While my husband was away, several bizarre events took place that were far more stressful than the minor things that upset me before. I sat around one day and allowed some nasty feelings to brew and was quite upset by the time my husband’s next phone call came. As I spoke to him on the phone, I placed myself in his shoes for a moment and realized that not only were my problems not any of his doing, my situation was nothing compared to what he was going through. In fact, I realized that this situation was not worth venting over and was certainly not worth arguing over, especially on a costly phone call that was limited to a mere ten minutes. For the first time in a long time, I was able to tame my venomous little tongue and kept at it for the remainder of his mission.

From this phone call on, I came to a new understanding about arguments that has been a great blessing. Arguing is not just “unworthy” when my husband is overseas, but arguing is really not worth doing *any* of the time. If we battle it out, we will not only not solve the issue at hand, but will likely cause strife and hurt between each other. Rather than act foolish and hateful, I must make a point to put things into perspective, pray, and come to my husband with a gentle & loving servant’s heart. I must remember that the battle is not worth it.

I encourage everyone to look at conflicts with others in this light. The next time you find yourself ready to “battle”, ask yourself if the issue at hand is worth the potential hurt, strife, and ill feelings between you and your “opponent”? Chances are it is not and recognizing this fact can allow you to have a loving, calm conversation about the issue or conflict that will solve the problem, rather than an angry mess that goes nowhere.