A Lesson From My Dad: The Power of a Thank You

Was thinking a lot about my dad yesterday ... had a lot to do with being at the Renaissance Fair.

I thought I might share one of his philosophies that I try to carry on ... it was the power of the thank you. 

Oh my gosh! He thanked everyone for everything! He thanked waitresses and store clerks just for doing their job. He thanked us kids whenever we did something he asked us to do. He thanked his employees just for doing their job. 

I could go on, but I think you get the idea. He went out of his way to thank people. Thank you's make people feel good. They show appreciation. They make you smile while you say it, and they make others smile when they receive it. So, thank you for reading my blog! Happy Sunday!

Think Before You React

"That person who has angered you, frustrated you or wronged you is someone's son or daughter, brother or sister, father or mother. Be gentle." 

I would take this quote even further by saying, you don't know what is going on in someone's life. Maybe they have recently lost someone they love or they are worried they might. Maybe they lost their job or didn't get a job they were hoping for. The list could go on forever about the worries that cause people to act less than perfect. But it doesn't give any of us the right to react without kindness.

This was sitting heavy on my heart this week as I sat with my dad during his chemotherapy appointment. As I looked around the room, I saw people from all different walks of life sitting there while toxic drugs coursed through their veins in hopes that it will cure their cancer. 

I felt so much compassion for them. And I prayed that everyone they came into contact with that day would be kind to them. I think everyone should spend some time sitting in a chemo office with someone they love. It will put a different perspective on things. Every life is precious -- even the ones of those who are not kind to you. They are special to someone.

Making the Most of Teachable Moments with your Children

So, one of your children takes the last cookie from the pantry, and the other cries foul. What do you say to help solve the situation?

How do you comfort your daughter when she comes into your room at night and tells you she is afraid to sleep by herself?

What do you say if your son comes home from school and tells you about kids who are making fun of another child?

These are all valuable teachable moments that many of us experience within our daily lives. But do we always know what to say or how to comfort our children?

What if you had the ability to take some of the pressure off of yourself by showing your child what God has to say about these types of situations?

There is a parenting resource out there just for that purpose! It's called Parenting With Scripture. The book is divided into 101 sections, arranged alphabetically by subject-matter. Examples include forgiveness, humility, anger and procrastination. Each topic is comprised of Scripture passages, discussion questions, action items and parenting tips.

The format is very user-friendly. Here is a sample page for the subject of worry.

So, if a child is frightened, you could look up courage. You might find something like, "When I am afraid, I will trust in You." Psalm 56:3.

If your children are not speaking kindly to one another, you could look up kindness where you might find, "Encourage one another and build each other up."
1 Thessalonians 5:11

If your child is nervous about a test, you might look up worry and find, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Phillippians 4:6-7

The point is to help you connect your child's daily life to the Bible and see how God's word can help them live a more healthy, happy and peaceful life.

If you would like more information, I would recommend listening to a Focus on the Family broadcast interview with the book's author, Kara Durbin.

Also, here is a link to 15 foundational bible verses the author recommends to help you in your parenting. These would be great to post on the fridge.

And, finally, the author has a great blog with lots of tangible examples. Enjoy!

Teaching Children about the Big Impact of Small Acts of Kindness

Recently, the kids and I were at Potbelly getting lunch. As I was standing in line to place our order, Tyler, my nine-year-old, walked out of the line to find a table. He happened to cross paths with a little girl his age who was carrying a tray of empty cups and wrappers to the garbage.

Unexpectedly, her tray tipped a little, and a cup fell off of it. In slow motion, I watched the look on her face, which said something like, "Oh no, what am I going to do now?" She looked around the restaurant for help.

Then I watched Tyler as he contemplated what to do. He looked at her and at the cup on the floor. Then he bent down, picked up the cup and put it back on her tray.

Even though the exchange was very brief, it seemed as though time stood still. I had enough time to appreciate the point of view of both children and feel immense joy as I watched my child do something nice for another child.

I even had enough time to wonder if there was more to this story than just one child helping another. Who knows, maybe Tyler and that girl will meet again some day, and she'll say, "Hey, you're the kid who picked up my cup for me at Potbelly."

Honestly, I was not planning on writing a blog about this, because it was such a minor, every day experience -- it's not like he saved her life. But then I remembered that that is what my blog is all about -- making memories out of every day.

And I realized that Tyler's small act of kindness could have made a big impact on that little girl, her parents and anyone else in the restaurant who saw it. It certainly made a big impact on me, and I made sure Tyler knew how sweet it was, too.

So, I am sharing this story because I believe it is vital to take the time to notice and appreciate the small, every day positive experiences in life. Otherwise, life may just pass us by.