Try a Little Kindness.

I was having a bit of “writer’s block” yesterday as I was looking for a word or thought to inspire me for this day’s blog. I walked out onto my screened in patio and saw the wall hanging that the previous owners left behind. “Think deeply. Speak gently. Love much. Laugh a lot. Work hard. Give freely and BE KIND." I thought, "That's a great mission statement for anyone!"

I really do endeavor to live those words daily – some days I’m right on – and not so much on other days. Each one of those phrases is a sermon in themselves, but the one that stood out on this day was BE KIND. Kindness is a word that should be proclaimed in neon lights. It's a word we could sure use a lot more of these days.

On Monday, a precious 94-year young friend in Tulsa, Thelma Moore, received her promotion to heaven. This gracious and KIND woman was a mentor and role model in faith and class to me. I saw her last at her long-care facility in April. She didn't remember too much about our time together because of memory loss, but it didn't matter. I remembered. I remember her always complimenting and encouraging me when I was the president of our women’s ministries. I smiled when nurses or aides would come into the room and even then would introduce me as her most beautiful and dearest friend that she grew up with, who lived near each other and went to church together. There were some gaps in those memories, but no worries......I remembered this KIND and loving woman. Kindness sticks. It leaves a mark on our lives.

I’ve personally known kindness in action. I’m thinking about the kindness of my children’s friends in Austin who invited me over to their home for dinner and another couple who took me out to dinner when my children were out of town. I’m reminded about my next door neighbors who watch over my property like hawks while I’m out of town and alert me if I’ve left my garage door open AGAIN. I’m thinking about the kindness that my children and grandchildren show me when I show up at their homes. Since my daughter’s family is nearby and I see them so often, it should be no big deal when I come in the front door, but each and every time, I’m treated like royalty walked in. Each one of them gets up from where they are to rush to me and give me hugs like it had been months. I have best friends in Tulsa who have a room available for me to stay with them. On my next trip to Tulsa, I’ll be staying with a friend from the community I lived in – the one that let me stay in her home for over six weeks before my move to Texas. Talk about kindness! Kindness comes in so many different forms.

Kind words and kind actions are like kisses from heaven. I am forever grateful for those who have been kind to me, spoken grace and encouragement into me. My mind is flooded with examples as I am sure you can reflect on encounters from your own life where a kind word ministered more deeply than the speaker could have ever imagined. Those kind words from others have caused me to realize that every day I have the opportunity to let kindness pour out from me. I want to be the person who is sensitive to God’s prompting when He nudges me to be kind and to speak kindness into the life of another.

If you’re reading this post, you are probably one of those kisses from heaven to me, because you embrace me, empower me, motivate me and are SO KIND to me when you “like” or “love” one of my posts, when you take the time to comment brings me so much joy. From the bottom of my heart…..I thank you!

In the words of Glen Campbell’s old song, maybe we should all “Try a Little Kindness”:
You've got to try a little kindness, yes, show a little kindness.
Yes, shine your light for everyone to see.
And if you'll try a little kindness and you'll overlook the blindness,
Of the narrow-minded people on the narrow-minded streets.

The First Day of the Rest of My Life....My New Adventure Begins!!!

My first full day as a Texan -- well, I've always been a Texan -- born here in Dallas, a few decades ago ;-), but after 3+ decades in Oklahoma, adapting to "Ohhh-Kla-ho-ma, where the wind comes sweeping down the plains", and the wonderful people and places of that great state, I get a fresh start in Texas. How awesome is that?

With my sweet children's love, guidance and encouragement, I'll not be looking for a place of my own until after the first of the year, so my first stop-over is here in Frisco where my kids made such a sweet space for me -- new carpet and decor in my bedroom, and my Austin kids have the same thing awaiting me. No doubt, I am loved.

An awesome "sign" that I was home, was sleeping for 8 solid hours my first night -- the first 8-hours of sleep in months and months. Four to six hours is typically my rest for the night. I woke so refreshed and purposed to get my running routine back in gear, so, first thing, as I was heading out, I stopped off in Staci's office and there before me were these precious items (pictured here) that took my thoughts to my Sweetheart -- it was another "sign" -- he's still with me -- his hammer that he used in his carpentry work, his chalice and paten for communion, his baseball glove and an airplane that reminded me of his love of flying. Though this is the first day of the rest of my life.....it is also a day that I get to treasure the best parts of my past.

After my slight pause to send kisses to heaven, I headed out for my 3-mile run. Taking my phone with me -- just in case I lost my way (lots of new streets and trails here in my daughter's community), I was able to capture the welcome of some Christmas friends...the snowmen, Rudolph, reindeer and penquin, and the reminder of what this season is really all about....the 3 Wise Men. Then quick reminders of where I'm at.....Texas and Cowboy Country! LOL!

Sweet first day, first sights, first run, first FALL! What??? Yes, while I was relishing the sights and sounds of this FIRST DAY....I failed to keep my eyes on the sidewalk with uneven pavement. My foot caught the next section, and BAM, I went down in an amazing array of SPLAT......along with my phone crashing with me on it's face. Cracked phone screen, bloody and scraped knee, elbow and hands. WHAT? How could that happen on a morning filled with such sweet awe and wonder? My serendipitous day suddenly went sour! Right? NOT...on your life! I brushed myself off, finished my run (a little slower than I started), came home and cleaned myself up, and headed to church......where He Who made this "First Day of the Rest of My Life", welcomed me. I recognized Him in the faces of those who attended with me and in the music and in the Word that was spoken. What better place to go to turn a sour day back into a great day!

Yes, we all make plans for the perfect life.....or maybe not even perfect, but good. Then, along comes a bump in the road or a flat tire, or a disagreement with someone dear and life takes a turn SOUTH! We have a choice during those times. We can look for all the things that are WRONG.....or be thankful for all the things in our lives that are RIGHT. Gratitude makes the difference. I was grateful that I was not more seriously injured. I needed a new phone anyway, so that cracked screen guaranteed I'd be getting a new one. I had a home to go home to where I was encouraged. Bottom line....this First Day of the Rest of My Life.....was amazing.....and I'm still here to tell it! I'm excited to see what the Second Day of the Rest of My Life will look like! I'm expecting it to be incredible because God told me so....Jeremiah 29:11 "“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Looking for Love in All the Right Places

Getting to celebrate life with my special loved ones and friends in Tulsa brings such joy to my heart. Here's what my World of Love's "right places" looks like:

I have precious friends in the community where I live. We laugh, celebrate life, many of us pray for each other and share meals with each other. Several of us are the face of Hyde Park and we represent our community to guests that stop by to visit us. Love in the right places!

My Life Group meets in my home every Tuesday. We share our triumphs and tests, we pray together, celebrate together and do life together. The latest triumph was the birth of this precious baby girl, Ragan Rainey. We prayed for her Mom & Dad to be blessed with her, and indeed they have been. Her two grandmothers attend my Life Group (yes, that's them having received their coronation bouquet) -- so of course, that little girl had no choice but to come into this world with God's blessings. Love in the right places!

I have the most wonderful "family of friends" at Church of the Madalene where I have attended for over 16 years. The women in this church, The Women of the Madalene, are par excellence. They are the most giving, loving and caring women ever! To them, there is no task too great or small when it comes to serving God and His people. Serving with them is truly an honor. Love in the right places!

As if having a family of friends at one church isn't enough, I have a host of friends at Life.Church, which is just a half block from my home. I love serving with these precious people who rock my world (literally) every weekend. I am a part of the Host, Chazown, Baptism, and Operations Teams. Being fully devoted followers of Christ is all about "loving in the right places" -- and the greatest blessing of all is witnessing so many people coming to Christ at each service. Last Sunday, at our Jenks campus alone, over 150 people were baptized in water. Love in the right places!

Then there is my precious godson and his siblings. They are my Tulsa family -- I love these kids and their love for me blesses me so much. All of them have February birthdays -- so of course it's the Month of Love for them AND me. Owen, my godson, is a treasure beyond words to me. He sits by me in church, snuggles close to me, puts his arm around me or holds my hand. Yes, I feel kisses from heaven each time. Love in the right places!

My dear Mom-in-Law lives here in Tulsa. Mom has been such a dear friend to me for 55 years now -- 5 years before my Sweetheart and I married. She has encouraged, prayed for and loved me like a daughter. Last Sunday, Valentine's Day, we had a "Sweetheart" lunch together at Olive Garden. Of course, we talked about the two men that were our loves for a lifetime and because of the richness of those loves, we can be so thankful they're no longer in our past....they are in our future! We'll be with them again one day. Love in the right places!

Tomorrow, I'll be heading to Post Oak Lodge for the Christ the King ACTS Retreat -- Thursday thru Sunday. I was once a retreatant, but now I'm on the leadership team for the retreat. We've met every Monday for the last three months in preparation for this weekend where women will come and be made to feel like princesses -- daughters of the King. It is a weekend like no other I've ever witnessed. Encounters with the living Christ that causes all of our hearts to melt in His presence. We come to know the true meaning of loving God with all our hearts, souls and minds. Love in the right places!

AND, if all this LOVE in Tulsa weren't enough to bless this heart of mine, I'll be heading to Seattle on Monday for a feast of love with my family there for two weeks, and then back for a week with my Texas family -- no shortage of love there because it's "Love in the right places"!

People ask me "Why are you so happy all the time -- after all, you live alone, you're a widow, you have to handle life and all it gives you by yourself?" I think by now, you know. I'm still here. I'm not done with living. I celebrate each day with as much gusto as I can. Life isn't a destination. It's a beautiful, wonderful, living-life-large JOURNEY of finding love in all the right places. I recommend living this way -- self pity, whining, and complaining is not found here on this journey -- it's all about an attitude of gratitude each and every day! It's finding love in all the right places!

Kisses From Heaven.....AND Paula

Day 44 of Photo Inspirations -- Kisses from Heaven AND Paula
Of the many joys in my life, our “No Limits” Life Group ranks pretty high on the scale.  I love these women so much! Each week, it seems that God surprises us with so many valuable and practical life lessons.  Last night was no exception as Paula, one of our “regulars”, on the way to Life Group –  was inspired to go by the store and pick up these cute little glasses and fill them with Hershey’s kisses as a little Valentine gift for each of us.

As our meeting progressed, those little glasses of kisses had more significance than what Paula realized.  First of all, one of the ladies said, “Oh, my goodness!  I was at work today and a co-worker always has a jar of Hershey kisses on her desk, but today when I went to get one, she was all out.  I’ve been craving one ever since!  Thank you so much.  I take this as a blessing from heaven!”
 
Then, one of our scripture readings was Psalm 37:1-7.  We read it and when we got to the 4th verse, even more understanding came to us.  It reads:  “Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart.”   I shared:  “Oftentimes, we read this scripture and think that if we praise and delight in God, that He will bring good things our way.  He’ll give us the things we want.   We give and He gives.  But, I believe it means, when we delight in God – give Him first place in our lives – praising and thanking Him……then out of that love we have for Him, He will place His desires for us in us.   For example, we know how Paula delights in God – she’s a true evangelist wherever she is. She's also a teenage girls' group leader at Switch -- the Wednesday night youth group that breaks into small groups for part of the night.  She is willing to do a U-turn because she saw someone in need, and she is willing to get out of her car to push someone in a wheel chair two blocks to their home…..in the rain.  It seems the more Paula delights in God, the more her desires increase to impact her world.   Tonight, once again, she had a desire to bless the women in our Life Group with these glasses of kisses.  I believe those were kisses sent from God – His desires that He placed in her heart.

What are your desires?  Are they the ones that are put there by God – simply because you delight in Him so much?  Wouldn’t it be a guarantee that those desires are His desires – if they are to make you better and the world around you better?   It’s not about the “things” we desire – the new home, the new car, the new outfit, the vacation, the job promotion…….or, maybe it is!  Just maybe, because we delight in Him so much, that He even places desires for the new home so that it will be a gathering place for people to grow in Him – and the new car – to be used to bring people with you to church or the new outfit for the opportunity to feel good about yourself when you’re meeting someone on purpose – or the vacation because you need the rest or the job promotion – because He desires you to be blessed so you can bless.  What if we lived in a purposeful way of delighting in Him and Him delighting in us…..so much so that we just don’t miss a beat!  I’m thinking – kisses from heaven can come every day, and in every way!
#KissesFromHeaven