Stuff That Matters in Life

Do this with your kids. See if you or your kids figure it out first…or do you dare risk being embarrassed by your kids? Leave a comment and let me know.

What a great day it was for the Walnut Family Festival! The day was nice and cool, no rain, just right to spend a day enjoying life in our community. In a small city of 30,000, there is not a whole lot to get excited about. So this annual affair complete with a parade, games, live bands, booths, and food was a big deal. It’s a good time to corner your City Council members to make sure they hear your side on the issues.

There was an important lesson that was learned today at the fair.

Amy elatedly related to me her experience at the Staples booth. When the lady at the booth gave her a free folder, my daughter politely replied, “Thank you.” The lady handed her another folder and said, “Wow, you’re the only one who said ‘Thank you’! I’ll give you another folder.”

I can’t believe everyone else took a free gift without saying ‘thank you’? What has our society come to?

I always try to make a point of thanking the bagger at the market, the crossing guard at the school, the gardener, etc. A kind word should be expressed even to those who are paid to do the job. It doesn’t cost you any extra to say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’, does it?

Amy received a reward for merely expressing a common courtesy.

You can figure out the moral of the story.

Kids bring out the best and the worst in me.

I love kids – when they are cute, sweet, cuddly, behaving well, and doing what I tell them to do.

But today, I had to yell at some 8th graders. I lost it. They did not respond to any act of kindness and I had to resort to threats. I honestly couldn’t stand those boys! Afterwards I felt bad about my behavior. I don’t like myself very much when an ugly side of me is displayed openly.

I usually think I am a nice, reasonable person. I’m not a murderer. I am not a prostitute. I am not a drunkard, adulterer, nor child molester. It would be easy for me to become a Pharisee and think that my own righteousness can get me into heaven.

While I certainly don’t like to be faced with my own weaknesses, it is a good thing that God shows them to me. When the hatred in me was expressed to those kids, it reminds me that I am just a sinner, like everyone else.

I am brought once again to my knees to the cross of Christ, and I appreciate the grace and mercy that he extends to a sinner like me.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”