Today I am awestruck by the hearts of the people I serve with at church, scouts and in the community. I thank my God that I am surrounded by people with a positive outlook on life. There are some people who came up for the day this past weekend and I was so happy to see them. I was scheduled to take 62 people camping and we took a total of 72. We had more than enough food, more than enough camping spaces, more then enough games for the boys to play, and more than enough of ourselves to give.
I am sitting here this morning wondering why the world is looking as badly as it does, when there are people like the those in my life. The news gives us ALL the bad and very little of the good. It's time for us to change that. We pay for them to be on the air therefore, we should call them every single time something great is going on in our communities. Children need to see themselves in a positive light. Given the state of our country and how angry people are with government, let's give them a glimmer of hope and a moment of joy. Nothing makes people smile more than seeing children going well.
Being completely honest, I love living in small town America. The "downtown" area is so small you don't even realize you drove through it. Yet, I live so close to Charlotte - you see the skyline - but I have zero desire to live there as beautiful as it is.
I treated myself to breakfast yesterday and I found out that the real southern hospitality is only found in the establishments that have been around forever. They still call you Sir and you can't help but say "yes mam, yes sir; no mam, no sir" and they say it in return. The mutual respect is there and it's not hiding itself. The northern influence is coming to the south and it's destroying the charm of the south. Being one of those from the north, I am grateful for the southern influence. It's a reminder of simpler times. Most people here are still in the hurry up and slow down mode. I hate to say it, but I am that way now and it only took 2 years to get there. Things will get done when they get done. Relax, take a deep breathe and enjoy the fresh air - it will be o.k. at the end of the day. And, if it's not o.k. - get a cup of coffee, enjoy the crisp October air and take another breathe.
I have a scout friend named Adam and I love the way he interacts with the scouts. It's obvious that he loves being a big scout himself. He looks like nothing bothers him and he loves life. Him being a DJ gives him the advantage of having a great personality. You just want to be around him and when he speaks, you can hear the happiness in his voice. Stress is not part of his vocabulary. I am grateful for people like Adam because they teach you to let the little things blow away in the wind.
This might sound strange to some but, I have a little puppet friend names Sunny. Just thinking about her makes me smile. I used to teach 6-8 year olds up in Connecticut with a great friend (Tani). She has a puppet named Sunny. Sunny and I would teach the class together and she became a member of the class. She would sit on the edge of the puppet stage and speak to the class. She had the best facial expressions and her heart for the Lord and the kids could not be compared. Tani made Sunny come to life and the kids would come to a roar whenever Sunny was in class. Yeah, they knew she was a puppet, but it was all about how Tani used her to minister to the class that made me grateful for the opportunity to teach. To sound like Forrest Gump - "we went together like bread and jam"
I will make the most of this day that God has blessed me to wake up and see. I'll do my best to make it more enjoyable for someone else with something as simple as a smile. I am going to become a contagious Christian. While we were camping, we had church on Sunday. The minister gave out puzzle pieces to everyone as they entered the picturesque outdoor chapel that overlooked Badin Lake and the mountains as the sun rose and shone through the stained glass cross. He reminded us that we are pieces of the puzzle that make up the spiritual body. If one piece is missing, the puzzle is incomplete and so are our lives. The hand cannot tell the foot that I have no need of you, nor can the ear tell they eye - I don't need you. God knew what He was doing when He created each one of us. I am grateful for you, and I pray you are grateful for me. I love every single people God has allowed to be a part of my body - even those who have done me wrong. I am who I am because of the struggles and strengths.
Today is all about a feeling of gratitude - catch it!!!!!!
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