I went in and got her what she needed and seemed to feel how overwhelmed this lady was. I am sure the Lord was nudging me to feel her struggle and be compassionate. So I also bought her a bouquet of flowers. I went back to the van gave her the medicine, all her cash back and handed her the flowers. She just sobbed and told me how difficult the entire night had been with the ill child. She also told me how touched and grateful she was for the act of kindness and thoughtfulness.
Yesterday, I was at he dentist with my mother in law. In the lobby was a sweet lady with three young boys. She was doing a nice job of trying to keep all the boys amused while waiting for the dentist. We began to chat and I learned she had an older fourth boy in the van. She had come a long way to the dentist and was on her way to another town two hours away. To top it off, she kept running in and out to check on the older boy in the van who was resting after a really bad nose bleed. It was obvious what a great mom she was and I was impressed with her gentleness with the boys even though she was outnumbered 4 to 1. She was trying so hard and her expression told the story of the challenge.
We were called back and placed in a room. Coincidentally, the lady and her boys were guided to the room right next to us. God touched my heart, helping me feel how life was winning her day's battle. God was encouraging me to do something to brighten her day. After the dentist heard the issue that brought us into the office, I left and jogged to the grocery store behind the office and picked up a bouquet of flowers.
I got back to the office and walked down the long hall to the rooms we were using. The lady was standing at the end of the hall with the little one in the stroller. She smiled at me and must have thought I was bringing flowers to someone there. When I stopped and handed them to her, she was shocked. She said, "For me?" I told her I felt today had been a struggle and hoped the flowers might brighten her day. I went back to my room and noticed she had begun to cry a little. The lady eventually took the boy in the stroller and waited in the lobby for the other boys to be done.
I was standing in the room while the dentist worked on my mother in law when one of the staff came in and told me that the lady shared with her how she had been scolded by people in another store who disapproved of her parenting. Watching her for the hour we had crossed paths, there was no doubt this lady was an awesome person and mom. God never misses an opportunity to love on someone. He knew how her day had unfolded and put it on my heart to share, not only His love, but mine as well. When we left, she was still in the lobby and told me how much she appreciated what I had done. As the day went on, God brought her to mind several times and I prayed for her. I had no idea if the day got better or if she had more going on than I knew but prayer seemed to be in order.
We all have such opportunities around us all the time. We just have to be aware of them AND act on them. I have said this before, every time we interact with others we can do one of two things. We can make another's life better or make it worse. We can yell, criticize or judge. We can be like the people in the other store who crushed this lady's spirit or be a person who lifts another person's spirit. We have a choice!
When God encouraged me to get flowers, I didn't know the whole story of her day but He did and He led me to act on the feelings He helped me feel.
We are all so programed to act within the parameters of the good old reward system. You reward people when they win at something or do something really big. Why can't we reward people for being people? Why can't we give a token to a mom who is having a bad day?
We all want and need to be appreciated. We all need and want to matter. When we have days that life seems to pile on the garbage, we can feel so alone, unappreciated and invisible that we want to crawl in a hole someplace and hope for a better day tomorrow.
If you and I intentionally pay attention to those around us, we can bring a ray of sunshine into another person's darkest day. When we do, we come away feeling much better than we would have had we ignored the opportunity. God commands us to love one another, what is holding us back? Loving is a wonderful and amazing thing, why keep it to ourselves? We can be assured, God has filled us with so much love and compassion, we will never run out of it. We have plenty to share so let's share it! Be a person who brings sunshine into another's life rather than a person who casts a dark cloud.
I guess you can't get flowers for a guy who is having a tough time but maybe a hot rod or fishing magazine. It is really not the what but the caring. It is the fact that you notice the struggle and join the person in it.
So my challenge to you is to go out today and look for an opportunity that God just may have placed in your path and act on it.
Have a blessed day my friends and BUY MORE FLOWERS!