Kindness and a Kleenex

"ACHOO!"

I shielded my face from the sneeze of the man in front of me on the escalator. "Bless you" said a woman behind me. He then continued to chat on his cell phone.
This happened three or four times in the span of time I spent behind him on the stairs.

It happens every day. A sneeze and a polite response. "Bless you"
But what the lady did in the next few minutes let me know there is still kindness in this world today.
Reaching the top of the escalator the man quickly began to go on his way still chatting on his cell phone. He seemed to be in a bit of a hurry and frazzled. The lady behind me called out to him, "Sir" and he seemed not to hear her. She walked quickly to him and again said "sir". He turned around and she handed him a Kleenex tissue. "Here, I thought you might need one", She said with a smile and then was just as quickly on her way. He said "thank you" and hurried on his way.

l smiled to myself. How even little acts of kindness do not go unnoticed. I noticed the woman's kind gesture that day in the airport. She'll never know that it touched my heart or that I was blessed by her ever so small act of kindness.

What act of kindness will you do today? Do you think it goes unnoticed, think again. Someone behind you on the escalator might notice and be touched. Go, be blessed:)

Airports

I love Airports.
At least the arrivals...

go to the departure gate and you're flooded with images of tears, sadness, leaving, parting, breaking up, good-byes, and plain unhappiness.
But go to arrivals and there is an sense of happiness and joy amidst the screams of excitement, hellos, reunions, hugs, and smiles. People are meant to be together.

I've had to do a few "departures" just in the last few weeks. I left my best friend on the side walk as I waved good-bye from the van taking me to the airport from Southern Adventist University concluding my sophomore year of college. A ting of sadness and loss gripped my throat and I just watched till I could watch no more. Then the next day I said good-bye to my cousins as I walked through airport security onto my plane headed for Dallas Texas to be reunited with my Aunt and Uncle for a week of fun. Then here we go again... Hugs and farewells to my Aunt as my brother and I walked through airport security onto another waiting area for out flight back home. I reluctantly said goodbye again to a someone I love.

I always seem to be saying goodbye now. Goodbye to my high school classmates as we must move on to grow up on our own and make our own lives. Our class once tight and bonded separated by time and space. We once causally chatting and hanging out now cling to the last few moments of the time we had together during our graduation. Tears stung my eyes on that last day as I watched my friends for so long cry and hug with no more time left.
I say goodbye to my parents every time they come to visit or I go home for a few days. The times at home seems so short. It never really occurred to me that I would not be living at home for much longer. I took my time here for granted. Now I know whenever I get home I will always be packing up again and leaving AGAIN. NOT a fun feeling.
Nothing seems to be sure anymore.

I hate goodbyes.

There's a reunion that I can't wait to be a part of.
One WITHOUT a goodbye.
A reunion that will last forever.
No more tears, no more airport departures, no more graduations, no more farewell hugs, no more empty feelings.
Just a hello to forever with our Lord and Savior.
I can't wait for that day, what about you?
Are you excited for no more parting. I sure am!

REVELATION 21:4 "He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."

"Car Horns"

I was just recently visiting my Aunt in Grand Prairie TX. I saw more of Texas then probably any Texas citizen as we toured around and had a blast just being tourists. We were waiting at a light and all in the car were deeply enthralled in a conversation and didn't notice immediately the light turning green. As soon as my aunt realized the light had turned and began to step on the gas the truck behind us blared a rude and impatient "BEEEEEP!!!!" I was a big taken back...

Not only did it sounds rude but it was held out obnoxiously long as if to make the drivers frustrated point.
However we brushed it off and drove on.

Next turn a car darts in front of us almost taking off our front bumper and honks loudly as he seems to claim we are the ones doing the "cutting off"

My blood begins to boil. I think to myself how can such a noise create such anger?
The Blair of a horn, the raising of a voice, a harsh gesture all create such intense emotions in a person.

What was the car horn originally made for?
www.cogapa.com says the original creation of the car horn was for safety, as a warning to help save those in danger of our own vehicle. But what has it become? More of a tool for anger and frustration on the road.
Road rage is taken out on others with the blare of a car horn.
We demonstrate our impatient moods and anger as we honk at a car cutting us off or one who seems to be too slow.
Satan seems to take everything and turn it from a good thing (saving lives, a warning) to a tool for anger (frustration, road rage)

So next time you're cut off by a car or feeling impatient at a stop light. Take a breath:) Or give a smile to the driver. Who knows what kind of impact that will have on them rather than a split second decision to blare your horn.

how are we Christians? By showing Christ in ALL we do:) So go. Make someones day a little less frustrating:)

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Php 2:5-11 (NKJV)