This Day

So I feel like I mostly blog about the little things in my day that come up, or make me smile.

Or make me frustrated or confused.

Here's a little of both I guess.

I smiled as I walked behind the two high school girls dressed in camo this morning and our feet crunched the recently fallen leaves.

I smiled at the multiple people with mis-matched outfits on the CTA... some how it is ok to wear two different stripe patterns and colors??

I smiled at the rice concoction I whipped up for Matty for lunch... and that he could not stop eating it.

I smiled as Matty laughed uncontrollably during lunch, for really no good reason, but that he wanted to laugh!

I smiled at the UPS man who came to the door while I was in the bathroom and both boys had been sleeping for a while. As I opened the door, he pointed out a rather large grasshopper, which of course did not make me flinch, but I smiled inside because I know I'm not jumpy about bugs, but he was convinced I would be freaked out.

I smiled as Micah told me he sometimes has bad dreams as he snarfed down a chocolate chip cookie after his nap. He also told me he had a dog named Kelsey once, which he tells me every time I talk about my friend Kelsey.

I smiled as the boys rocked out to their worship DVD.

I smiled as I got off of work a half hour early, and the cute guy came to the bus stop while I was waiting.

I smiled as I walked up to Moody to meet up with Kelsey & Alan.

I smiled as I got my free vanilla late from Joe's... for my dinner.

I smiled when I walked home right after the rain, with a spring in my step (maybe from the coffee??)

I smiled when I heard my friend Joel is a dad :) and when my roommate has wrote me 2 times in the last 2 days and she is so far away.

On the other side:

I think the thing that bothered me the most today was the two junior high girls on the bus who were talking about another girl sitting across from them. This girl's mom was sitting next to the two girls. I was seriously about to say something to them because I could not take it. Thankfully, the knowing mother spoke up, because I know I would not have said anything nice. She just asked the girls what grade they are in. That calmed the chatter and whispers. As I thought more about it, I realized the mother's response was so right. We are not to lash out at those who hurt us, we are to 'heap coals on their heads', that is exactly what that mother did. She did not yell at the girls to shut up or to pick on someone their own size. She just spoke to them in kindness.

This was so powerful to witness. I came away from that with a little reality check: do I do the same thing those girls do? Talk about people? Why? And then, what do I do when I see something wrong? Do I step in with negative defense or positive defense?? I know what I WANT to respond to, but I think the human side is much more naturally my response.