Lesson Learned

I was out and about today, so I stopped by Meijer's to browse and to get me a pop because I was parched. I picked up a few things and made my way to the cash register.  I opted to go through a manned register instead of the self check out.

The young lady there was disheveled looking and her face was pinched in a scowl.  I placed my items up on the belt and it didn't take long for her to speak her mind.  It went a little like this.

C (cashier) : I am about to snap.
M (me): Sorry to hear that.
C : *heavy sigh* For real.  People can be so *pause* rude.  Like seriously.
M : I know and it seems the closer it gets to the holidays, the ruder people are.
C : You don't understand.  I am about to freak out.
M : I understand.  Just know that it will be ok.  It is only for a short time.
C : *small smile* Thank you, have a great night.
M : You too, and have a great Thanksgiving

There is so much truth in that conversation.  I dread leaving my house. No matter where I go, it seems people are rude, obnoxious or just downright mean.  It IS the holidays, right?  It IS the season of peace, love and joy......right?

What is happening?  People are talking about how thankful they are for what they have and in the next breath talking about heading out to get an item on Black Friday.  I just don't get it.  I try not to be one of those people but sometimes others just bring out the worst in me.  I try to be patient but it is so hard when others are only out for themselves.  I am fairly polite in the store - saying excuse me, apologizing when I bump into someone or waiting patiently while someone decides on mustard or ketchup. 

My problem is I expect others to be as I am.  And that just isn't reality.  These cashiers work hard.  They are on their feet many hours, often without a break and they are ringing up YOUR items.  The least you could do is offer a smile, say a few kind words and be patient.  It isn't their fault.  By me just saying "it will be okay", I could see the sourness melt from her face.  Sometimes that is all we need to hear - it will be ok.

Granted, we should be gentle, patient and kind year 'round.  However, can we all try to be the next 6 weeks?  Let's be a little more patient, say a few extra kind words and smile more no matter our own circumstance.  I find when I am being intentionally kind towards someone that, in return, I feel a little bit better myself. 

I guess what I am saying is sometimes happiness is a choice.  You can choose to dread going out this time of year, you can choose to be a sourpuss and snarl at everyone, you can choose to push your shopping cart like you are going to win an award at the finish line.....or you can go out with the mentality that you will make a difference, that you will change someone's outlook on humanity and that because of you, someone will know that not everyone is like what they perceive them to be.

Once I was driving home, I kicked myself.  The holy spirit tugged on me a little bit.  He said I did well in my words but I should have told her - "It will be alright because Jesus loves you." 

Next time.......

Holidays tend to make me cynical....

So I am a Facebook junkie.  I am not ashamed to admit it.  There are many times I want to delete it and say 'heck with it' but I just can't bring myself to do it. 

With it being the month of November, as soon as the first hit, people were posting the "I'm thankful for...." for each day of the month.  I get this, I really do, but it is obnoxious and rather hypocritical if I can use that choice of words. 

If I am your friend on Facebook, chances are I have went through all your pictures, read all your posts (no, I am not a skimmer - I actually read them) and I remember what you choose to let the Facebook world know about your life.  With that being said, you take one month - 30 days - to say what you are thankful for and the remainder 11 months to complain.  Yup, I said it.

I read how you hate your life, how life is unfair, how the world is against you...how you are tired, sore, achy, cranky, angry, bitter, sad, depressed, upset, melancholy, alone, fatigued and just blah.  I posted a quote by Robert C. Lintner that reads - "Thanksgiving was never meant to be shut up in a day."   How true those statements are and I think we forget.

Abraham Lincoln declared the third Thursday in November to be the day of Thanksgiving - many years after the first Thanksgiving was actually celebrated by the Pilgrims.  They came over on the Mayflower and now all the little kids make the cute little Pilgrim hats to wear.  However, when the colonist arrived, they did not expect the harsh winter and many died.  Therefore, the following spring they began to rebuild, learn from their mistakes and plant crops.  Then in the fall, they harvested and invited some of the Native Americans to feast for three days on their harvest, fowl (not just turkey) and deer. 

Back to Lincoln.....he proclaimed Thanksgiving during the Civil War.  America's bloodiest war, brother against brother and yet Lincoln made the proclamation to declare Thanksgiving.  Why?  Was it to eat turkey, get with family or watch football?  No, he clearly stated in the proclamation that Thanksgiving was meant to be a day set aside to thank God for all He has provided.  He continues to say that even though the war was going on and it was a bad time for many, they still had something to be thankful for.

There is your little history lesson.

You're welcome.

Now, don't get me wrong!  I don't think posting the monthly thanksgiving is necessarily a BAD thing.  However, shouldn't we be thankful year round?  I know that the holiday coming up makes us aware of our gratitude but we really do need to be aware of it daily. 

The Creator of the universe....the Almighty who tells the ocean how far to go....the Jehovah that leads the deer to water....the Lord that placed each and every star in the sky....the God that created the entire universe in 6 days and destroyed the earth in 40.....wakes us up every morning, loves us unconditionally, forgives our most unspeakable transgressions, hears us when we pray, weeps with us when we cry.  If He never did another single thing for me, I would still offer up thanksgiving and praise. 

King David says, in Psalms, that we should extol thanksgiving and praise to God.  Extol means with EXTREME adoration and to praise highly - with excitement!  If anyone was bi-polar, it was David.  One minute he was on cloud nine, praising God and glorifying him and in the next he was wishing death and wondering why God had left him.  Don't we all do that at times?  But in the midst of it all ...... David still gave God praise and thanksgiving.  Why?

Because He is deserving of it. 

As simple as that.

So, perhaps instead of one month of thanksgiving - grab a journal (am a huge advocate of journaling) or a calender and write one thing you are thankful for that day--- every day.  It is hard to stay angry or bitter when you can look back on the months and see how truly blessed you are.

I was going to end this with a few things I am thankful for year round.  However, once I started typing, I realized that this would be one HUGE blog because I could go on and on.  I am blessed and even though I get in a rut where life is beating me down and I feel so alone, that fact never evades me.

In the words of King David -
 "Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. 
 Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.

 For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods. 

 In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him.

 The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land.

 Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; 

 for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care."

I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving full of love, laughter, great food and an even greater heart full of warmth and good cheer.