Invasion!

I have been at my mother's house to help her following knee replacement surgery. I brought a small duffel bag with some clothing (frequently laundered), a hairbrush, a couple of books, and my toothbrush. 

Toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, washcloth, towel and bedding are provided by my mother. What more did I need?

Yesterday, my almost 17 year old niece arrived to help this week. Within fifteen minutes, she had invaded the bathroom with a veritable army of things she could not live without!

I am fortunate for the dual sink bathroom or my toothbrush (on the right) would have been completely lost as the invasion swept across the counter!

I thought that was all it it, until I turned around and found another contingent ready to attack the unwary who showered half-asleep! At this point, the shampoo and conditioner I used was now detained at a hidden location elsewhere in the shower. Don't even ask what the invaders did to the washcloth!

Granted, it has been many years since I was an almost 17 year old. Vague memories recall that I once carried more than a toothbrush, that I had my collection of hair care, make up, zit-be-gones, etc. Maybe I even had one or two bubble bath containers.

But I am quite thankful that those years are behind me. Over time, I learned that I don't need all that stuff.

I travel light today.

All I need day-to-day,

I carry within.

~ESA 

***Images Source: my cell phone. :D

Twinkies and Root Beer (Story)

This is a cute little story someone pointed me toward and found here.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twinkies and Root Beer

A little boy wanted to meet God. He knew it was a long trip to where God lived, so he packed Twinkies and a six-pack of root beer and he started his journey.
 

When he had gone about three blocks, he met an elderly man. The man was sitting in the park just feeding some pigeons. 

The boy sat down next to him and opened his pack. He was about to take a drink from his root beer when he noticed that the man looked hungry, so he offered him a Twinkie.

The man gratefully accepted it and smiled at boy. His smile was so pleasant that the boy wanted to see it again, so he offered him a root beer.

Again, the man smiled at him. The boy was delighted! They sat there all afternoon eating and smiling, but they never said a word.

As it grew dark, the boy realized how tired he was and he got up to leave, but before he had gone more than a few steps, he turned around, ran back to the man, and gave him a hug. The man gave him his biggest smile ever.

When the boy opened the door to his own house a short time later, his mother was surprised by the look of joy on his face. She asked him, "What did you do today that made you so happy?

"He replied, "I had lunch with God." But before his mother could respond, he added, "You know what? God's got the most beautiful smile I've ever seen!"

Meanwhile, the elderly man, also radiant with joy, returned to his home. His son was stunned by the look of peace on his face and he asked," Dad, what did you do today that made you so happy?"

He replied, "I ate Twinkies in the park with God." However, before his son responded, he added," You know, he's much younger than I expected."

Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around. People come into our lives for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. Embrace all equally!

~author unknown~

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-ESA

Twinkies and Root Beer (Story)

This is a cute little story someone pointed me toward and found here.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Twinkies and Root Beer

A little boy wanted to meet God. He knew it was a long trip to where God lived, so he packed his suitcase with Twinkies and a six-pack of root beer and he started his journey.

When he had gone about three blocks, he met an elderly man. The man was sitting in the park just feeding some pigeons.

The boy sat down next to him and opened his suitcase. He was about to take a drink from his root beer when he noticed that the man looked hungry, so he offered him a Twinkie.

The man gratefully accepted it and smiled at boy. His smile was so pleasant that the boy wanted to see it again, so he offered him a root beer.

Again, the man smiled at him. The boy was delighted! They sat there all afternoon eating and smiling, but they never said a word.

As it grew dark, the boy realized how tired he was and he got up to leave, but before he had gone more than a few steps, he turned around, ran back to the man, and gave him a hug. The man gave him his biggest smile ever.

When the boy opened the door to his own house a short time later, his mother was surprised by the look of joy on his face. She asked him, "What did you do today that made you so happy?

"He replied, "I had lunch with God." But before his mother could respond, he added, "You know what? God's got the most beautiful smile I've ever seen!"

Meanwhile, the elderly man, also radiant with joy, returned to his home. His son was stunned by the look of peace on his face and he asked," Dad, what did you do today that made you so happy?"

He replied, "I ate Twinkies in the park with God." However, before his son responded, he added," You know, he's much younger than I expected."

Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around. People come into our lives for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. Embrace all equally!

~author unknown~

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-ESA

Hidden Works

Quite a few times I've blogged that when we do some good work in this world that we should do it in such a way that as few people as possible know what we have done. There are some reasons why.

One, it's something Yeshua/Jesus the Christ requested: To do things in secret so that only God sees. OK.... but we may still want to know WHY He requested this.

One reason, as I've mentioned before, is so that we step away from the rewards that result from doing good works publicly. This public recognition becomes the reward and causes us to focus more on ourselves and less on others. We need to take our eyes from ourselves in order to grow inside.

The good works will stand on their own; let THAT light shine, not your own.

Playing the "secret santa" of doing good works in hidden ways can actually be quite fun. :D

And, one I have learned but have yet to mention: if we do good for another and they are aware of it, often they are left with the feeling/belief that they must reciprocate - even if they cannot afford to do so. So instead of doing good and helping another, we leave someone with the debt they cannot easily repay. But if they do not know to whom they have received the kindness, they are less likely to harm themselves - physically or financially - to repay that debt. Instead, they may be moved to pay it forward helping when and as they can.

Recently, I helped a friend who was struggling financially, as I have helped others and been helped by others in the past. I've told this person, as has been told to me and I've mentioned to others, "pay it forward when you can." This person, however, felt very indebted to me, and he insisted on repaying my kindness. I received a VERY expensive Christmas gift when he was still out of work and should not have spent the money. I still feel pretty terrible about this. :(

It IS sometimes best to do things hidden...

How can you do it hidden, you ask?

• If you know of someone who is struggling to pay their bills, call up their local phone or electricity provider and offer to pay a portion of their bill. They will see a payment received and a smaller bill, and most companies will allow a person to pay anonymously - collecting your personal information only to process the payment and not tell the person you help.
  
• Buy some bagels or other food goods from a place who delivers and have them deliver the goods to a local food bank or shelter.
• Purchase gift cards/certificates, phone cards or prepaid visa cards and get them anonymously to someone who needs them (ie. drop in the mailbox), ship them to vets/troops overseas or any who may benefit from your kindness.
  
• If you know someone is feeling down/alone/depressed, make up a small assortment of cookies, flowers or something small and cheerful and leave them hanging on their doorknob at home or on their desk, locker or workspace.
• If there is someone who struggles shoveling snow, get out there early. Granted snow-blowers make noise, but clearing off cars can be pretty quiet on a winter morning. Even shoveling can be done quietly and quickly.
• Purchasing food at a local supermarket and leaving it at someone's home is an idea, but use caution not to lure animals and know which door the person uses daily.
• Pick up trash someone carelessly dropped to the sidewalk, curb or elsewhere and put it in the proper receptacle.
• Stop to help a disabled driver, using caution as there are those who use that as a trap. :(
• Smile at a stranger; say hello, good morning or comment on the weather.
• Show up at a place where there are volunteers working and offer to help. If you must sign in, use your first name only and smile.
• If you see someone having difficulty reaching something on a high shelf, wordlessly reach up and hand it to them with a smile. The same applies if they are struggling with a heavy or cumbersome load; go over and help them with it.
  
• When you pay for your food at the supermarket, there is often a way to add a donation (either goods or monetary) to your local food bank.
• There are countless non-profits that collect anonymous donations, large and small. Often at places like your local place of worship or your supermarket, there are drop-boxes for donated goods or money.
• When you open a door, check and hold it open for the people that are behind you.
  
• If you're going through a drive-thru, pay for the people behind you. You never know who you may help or how they may be touched. I've heard wondrous stories from the DC area of one movement there. :D
  

Many more ideas can be added to the list above. This is just a sampling. There are innumerable ways to share a kindness with others in this world each day. Most cost little to nothing.

I'd like to hear more if any of my readers don't mind sharing their ideas. Hopefully we can inspire one another.

Random acts of kindness
Throughout the world
Hidden though

-ESA

Smiles - Seen and Unseen

I often tweet or retweet these little messages on Twitter about sharing a smile. Many still do not realize the power that can be found in a smile.

• It can pick you up.
• It can say "I care."
• It can say "I'm here for you."
• It can say "I'm listening."
• It can make you smile in return - even laugh.

A smile costs the giver nothing but a thought and a touch from the heart.

We've all seen those smiles that are just upturns of the corners of the mouth but never touches the eyes. A genuine sincere smile sets the eyes sparkling with the warmth of love and friendship.

And then there are the unseen smiles..... These are the times when someone reaches out to us and touches our hearts in a way that causes us to smile from the warmth and love in that touch. We do not see the smile. Sometimes it's an email or a phone call. Or just words on the screen over the internet. But we respond to that with a smile of our own and somehow know they smile too.

I had such a moment this morning. I was a bit down from a restless night of bad dreams and the rain that rolled through the area this morning. I was going to dive into my workload today - disheartened - and then I thought to check my @ messages on Twitter one last time....

That's when I saw this: "how u doing today my good friend" and a beautiful smile lit up my face.

The day is actually getting brighter outside too as the rain moves off. But more, my dark mood is dispersing with the clouds beause these little words touched my heart and told me that I'm not alone, that someone out there is not only a friend, but is thinking of me at that moment. That friend cared enough to send me a quick note.

He didn't even realize that I was in a bad mood. But just thought to take the time and say "hi." What a world of difference it made. When was the last time I took a moment and say "hi" to someone like that? One never knows just how much that little "smile" may effect somebody's day today.

Share that special touch of love and friendship.
Share that smile.
Today.

-ESA

Smile :D (Poem)

When you are down
And you look around
You see the frowns
That keep you down

Look instead for the smile
In only a short while
Instead of wanton guile
You will see that smile

For if you look for the positive
And all that Love and Light can give
You find that you can forgive
Those who spread the negative

And when you see someone down
Do not return that solemn frown
Give instead a heartfelt smile
The result is worth your while

:D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

- ESA