A Simple Way to Grace the Day

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Hey there! Whimsical Wednesday has arrived once again and I’m so grateful for the bloggers who link up each week! Be sure to stop by a few and share the love!

Today’s Whimsical Wednesday Word is a throwback story from three years ago. Lately I’ve been thinking about “a simple way to grace the day.” In other words, just one simple way I might be able to show love to someone else during a day, especially to those under my care.

I thought on the power of words and how my word choices during the day need to have impact and be purposeful.  I recalled a day when someone’s words said to me have never been forgotten. And here’s the story:

Monday was here and there were very few groceries in the house. I had to make a “real” shopping trip- you know, the kind where you just have to cough up the money and actually decide to feed your family?

The kind where you think ahead by meal plans, not by,

“What in the world do we eat tonight?”

The kind of shopping trip urged because your children are starting to want pancakes three meals a day. (Please tell me I am not the only person in the world who does this.)

But Mondays are busy. As is every day in our household; probably yours too. No sweat, armed with my list, I set out at the “perfect” time, with only one child in tow.

At the checkout, the cashier is sweet as can be and asks if she can call someone to help me out with my two shopping carts.

“That would be great,” I replied.

And so enters this story, a sweet disabled man who loves to help people.

From the store to my van, three times he said, “Hi, I’m Everett. How are you today?”

He desperately wanted to make conversation and talked to my sweet baby, Tarah, who just stared. Everett took it in stride and said, “She’s not impressed.”

After arriving at the van, I asked him if he could just unload the groceries in the cart that he was pushing, while I unloaded mine.

His joyful reply, “That’s what I’m here for.”

He asked about my other kids and talked about his grade school days. I thanked him for his help and called out for him to have a good day. Then came the words from him that I will never forget…

He returned the farewell with: “Be blessed!”

and with a wave , he made his way back to the store.

Be blessed. His words arrested me and caused me to tear up. (I do admit it doesn’t take much…)

What better advice could I have been given for the day?

And so I leave you with just two words, a very simple way to grace the day:

Be blessed.

Blessed are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion….O LORD of hosts, blessed is the one who trusts in you! Ps 84:5&12