Triple Grace Challenge: Meatballs and Nog Come Second! Do it with Me!

This will be Short and Sweet.

Triple Grace Challenge

Meatballs and Nog Second! 

Join Me!

Let's make people think we're crazy!

I am Challenging Myself to Triple My Kindness Per Rude Person Over the Holiday Season. 
Funny, as I typed that, what seemed like a gargantuan bubble box in my head literally popped up and said..."OK, and why  just for the season?" I'll deal with that later.

Anyway, I 'm not getting out and about as often, due to my health issues. However, when I do, WOW! Is about all I can say.

I think there are 10 rude people/situations to every 2 nice people, if even.
Shouldn't "The Season," make people nicer?

You can feel the harried people OUT THERE! It's thick in the air! You can see and even feel the fast-paced mind-set and body stance. It seems to be all about, "Get it done, get it fast and make it perfect!" Apparently at any means. Now I will add an exception. My 17 year old called me all exhilarated, "Mom! I let a car in front of me to park. They literally  caught up to me in the mall and said, "We don't experience people doing that for us very often, much less a teenager!! Thank you, Thank you!!" How wonderful that my daughter was thinking of others! (But shouldn't that be expected and the norm...parents?) How wonderful they stopped to acknowledge it! They were elderly, if that makes any difference. (Perhaps wiser?) But WHY should that be so unusual? Out of the Norm?? In fact, I should better expect that once in a blue moon call from some stranger letting me know that my child was RUDE! That would actually make more sense to me!

The Reason for the Season Seems to be:

Purchase it, get it decorated just right, put the perfect holiday side dishes on the table for the perfect party, present the perfect gift, THUS: The Perfect Holiday! Harried, stressed or NOT!! I guess the means by which to do all that doesn't matter. Grab the perfect parking spot before the other person does, (several times I couldn't shop at a store because a non-handicapped person took a spot. I had to rearrange my plans. Go to that store another time. Perhaps that never crossed their mind). That tends to happen with a ME mindset.Of course there are exceptions, I have run into some very kind people. But that isn't my focus here.

I have Seen More Comments on FB to the Effect of:
"Someone" did this rude thing!...........(fill in the blank.) So, here's what I did to them! WOW. People. STOP. You are accountable for your own behavior. If you truly stop and think about it, does it make you feel better to do a wrong with a wrong? Get someone back? You have to live with you. They probably don't. And if they do, oh well, I guess.

This all breaks my heart. God has gifted me with a heart for hurting people. We all hurt somehow. I see that. If you go to God. He will change your heart to LOVE people. It only comes through Him.

 “The Lord God has given Me

The tongue of the learned,

That I should know how to speak

A word in season to him who is weary.

He awakens Me morning by morning,

He awakens My ear

To hear as the learned.  

Isaiah 50:4-6 (NKJV)

Once again, I am looking to my own self as well. I try my best. But I do it too. Maybe not as outwardly these days, but perhaps with a sideways glance or I miss an valuable opportunity to say something nice.

It only comes through Jesus. Because without Him,  I want to scream, " I hope your meatballs have a burnt taste at your party and your Christmas lights turn out to be LED!"

Rant over. 

So here's my goal. 

JUST BE NICE. 

No matter how I am treated. 

Wish me me luck.

Better yet, pray for me to STOP thinking about myself first. And to hold my tongue, unless something kind and uplifting is hanging off of it.

 If you read my recent post, you might gather that this could pose some difficulty for me while on CRAZY making MIND messing-with medications. But as I always say: Hard doesn't mean I can't do it. It's still a choice.

LAST POST: Permission...this patient may FREAK out: God gives second chances.

http://joycomesmorning.blogspot.com/2014/12/with-my-permissionthis-patient-may.html

Yesterday a lady, once again as this seems to be becoming an event, rammed into my scooter at Target! She looked up, looked at me and moved on. What immediately and without filter came into my mind was, "Gee thanks, that helped my level 5 headache! (To myself). Then the thought to ram back into her at full level 5 mph speed.(As THAT would just be crazy!) But INSTEAD, I said "Yeah, these things are a challenge to drive! Have a wonderful day!" She looked at me like I was an alien. OK, maybe over-sized Chip Monk!

Hey, at least I didn't put kids in the basket!

Now, If you are a Christian...  

Grace might make sense to you. And you should strive to give it to others. 

IF YOU ARE NOT a Christian, I still pose this question: Don't you just want to strive to do the right thing and be nice? Just a thought.

PRAISE GOD!

The life and ministry of Christ was marked by His overwhelming compassion for people. And His heart is the same today. As believers, we are called to be the hands and feet of Christ, and extend His extravagant love to a broken world.

PRAISE God for this Season!

Go ahead! Make your meatballs and eggnog perfect! 

But first PRAISE GOD that you have the provisions to serve those balls and nog to friends and family that you have in your heated home, standing with good legs around your fancy table that you had the means to purchase, while breathing through your nose without help.

Christ Born of Mary

And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city.

Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife,who was with child.  So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Glory in the Highest

Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. ¹¹ For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.”

 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest,
And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!”

So it was, when the angels had gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said to one another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass, which the Lord has made known to us.”And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told them. 
 Luke 2:1-20 (NKJV)

So we urged Titus, that as he had begun, so he would also complete this grace in you as well. But as you abound in everything — in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all diligence, and in your love for us — see that you abound in this grace also.  
2 Corinthians 8:6-7 NKJV

OOPS! Not as short as I intended. OH well! Comments are always greatly appreciated!