because you're not better than anybody else...
On Mondays we go to the store. It used to be Sundays when I was working. Me, along with every other person on our side of town. But when you came along, Annabeth, my nicely scheduled weeks changed. And since we needed any and every excuse to get out of the house, I made Mondays our store days.
You love shopping. Sure, you're a girl and so maybe it comes a little bit naturally to you. But you love people. That's what you really like about shopping. It's the people. They are everywhere! Down every aisle, at every turn, and they usually stop and talk to you. Most of our shopping trips are considerably lengthened due to the fact that you're so personable. But that's okay because I want you to be a sweet girl. I want you to be socially aware, too. Sometimes, the world can be a little easier for the socialites, and I believe you're going to be one. You seem to be a people magnet, which is a great characteristic that comes with great responsibility. People-magnet people have influence. Others want to be around them, so others usually listen to what they say or do what they do. Clearly, you can see how this can be good or bad, right? I hope and pray that if you're magnetism sticks, you'll be sure to influence people positively because our world needs people like that more and more every day.
I stood in the bathroom getting ready for church yesterday morning and I prayed, "Lord, these times are hard!" But the truth is that since the garden and the fall of man, times have always been hard. They'll stay that way until Jesus comes to make things right. But there's been a lot of division and hurt and hatred spreading like wildfire over the past many years in our country. It's not the first time, unfortunately. It's almost like history is trying to repeat, and even out do, itself. You see, people make mistakes, Annabeth. And you will, too. Mistakes are great learning opportunities if we allow them to be. But some people never learn from their mistakes, and often times that effects us all. I heard of this really terrible news story that hurt my heart, and as I thought about that, and as we took a trip to the store today, the Lord began weaving together a lesson that I wanted to pass along to you because well, that's my job as your mother. It's my job to teach you.
We walked through the store and your bright eyes searched back and forth for someone who was paying you attention. It didn't take long as an older couple walked over and began talking to you. A smile quickly spread across your face, and as they reached their hands towards you, you grabbed their fingers and screamed. I may be a bad mother here, letting people touch you, but why not? I am certain you probably get more germs in our house than you do from a stranger who tickles your toes or shakes your hand. Plus, that's just being polite. You shake hands with people when you meet them. There's something unique about touch and the human connection, and the last thing I want to do is teach you bad manners. We kept on through the store and, per the usual, we visited with people from all races, all ages, and all genders. We spoke to a man that, I'm pretty sure, was a biker. We had a chat with a few ladies who were grandmothers. You locked eyes with teen aged girls, a young mom and her children made sure to say hi, and one of the workers with a heavy Asian accent did his best to get a wave from you. As we finally neared the check out line, I heard a woman yell, "Your baby is so beautiful!" She literally left her basket and came over to see you. She was probably in her late 60s with a Spanish accent and dark curly hair. She stood in front of the basket and you reached out and grabbed her arms as if she was your long lost friend. You jabbered away as she visited with you, and she shared with me that she has worked with children her entire life. She said, "I was never able to have any of my own, so I just love seeing babies!" We visited for a while, and as much love and kindness as you showed her, we should have just invited her over for the afternoon to play. She told me her name, a little bit about herself, and I hope that the next time we are at the store, we'll see her again. I think you'd both love that.
But here's the thing I want you to know, Annabeth. I think it's important to say, and it's probably something that we all need to remind ourselves more often than we think. You are not better than anybody else. And you may be wondering why I'm saying that, because I do think you're pretty amazing, but the world will tell you otherwise.You see, some people think that things like skin color, where you're from, how much money you have, what type of work you do, what you look like, where you went to school, or which part of town you live in make you better than another. But it's simply not true. At our core, we're all the same. All made in the image of God. We all have the same insides, we just have different details on the outside. We're uniquely equal. God has a plan for each of our lives. Just as no two people are the same, no two plans are, either. When we forget that, when we turn our eyes inward, love and kindness do not flow outward.
Each night we sing a song to you. The words go:
Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world
Red, brown, yellow, black, and white
They are precious in His sight
Jesus loves the little children of the world
My prayer is that you will always show love and kindness to people. Not because they look like you, live near you, or do the things you do. I want you to remember that just as you are precious to Him, so are all of His children. And because He first loved us, then we can freely show love to others.
"Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God." - 1 John 4:7
You love shopping. Sure, you're a girl and so maybe it comes a little bit naturally to you. But you love people. That's what you really like about shopping. It's the people. They are everywhere! Down every aisle, at every turn, and they usually stop and talk to you. Most of our shopping trips are considerably lengthened due to the fact that you're so personable. But that's okay because I want you to be a sweet girl. I want you to be socially aware, too. Sometimes, the world can be a little easier for the socialites, and I believe you're going to be one. You seem to be a people magnet, which is a great characteristic that comes with great responsibility. People-magnet people have influence. Others want to be around them, so others usually listen to what they say or do what they do. Clearly, you can see how this can be good or bad, right? I hope and pray that if you're magnetism sticks, you'll be sure to influence people positively because our world needs people like that more and more every day.
I stood in the bathroom getting ready for church yesterday morning and I prayed, "Lord, these times are hard!" But the truth is that since the garden and the fall of man, times have always been hard. They'll stay that way until Jesus comes to make things right. But there's been a lot of division and hurt and hatred spreading like wildfire over the past many years in our country. It's not the first time, unfortunately. It's almost like history is trying to repeat, and even out do, itself. You see, people make mistakes, Annabeth. And you will, too. Mistakes are great learning opportunities if we allow them to be. But some people never learn from their mistakes, and often times that effects us all. I heard of this really terrible news story that hurt my heart, and as I thought about that, and as we took a trip to the store today, the Lord began weaving together a lesson that I wanted to pass along to you because well, that's my job as your mother. It's my job to teach you.
We walked through the store and your bright eyes searched back and forth for someone who was paying you attention. It didn't take long as an older couple walked over and began talking to you. A smile quickly spread across your face, and as they reached their hands towards you, you grabbed their fingers and screamed. I may be a bad mother here, letting people touch you, but why not? I am certain you probably get more germs in our house than you do from a stranger who tickles your toes or shakes your hand. Plus, that's just being polite. You shake hands with people when you meet them. There's something unique about touch and the human connection, and the last thing I want to do is teach you bad manners. We kept on through the store and, per the usual, we visited with people from all races, all ages, and all genders. We spoke to a man that, I'm pretty sure, was a biker. We had a chat with a few ladies who were grandmothers. You locked eyes with teen aged girls, a young mom and her children made sure to say hi, and one of the workers with a heavy Asian accent did his best to get a wave from you. As we finally neared the check out line, I heard a woman yell, "Your baby is so beautiful!" She literally left her basket and came over to see you. She was probably in her late 60s with a Spanish accent and dark curly hair. She stood in front of the basket and you reached out and grabbed her arms as if she was your long lost friend. You jabbered away as she visited with you, and she shared with me that she has worked with children her entire life. She said, "I was never able to have any of my own, so I just love seeing babies!" We visited for a while, and as much love and kindness as you showed her, we should have just invited her over for the afternoon to play. She told me her name, a little bit about herself, and I hope that the next time we are at the store, we'll see her again. I think you'd both love that.
But here's the thing I want you to know, Annabeth. I think it's important to say, and it's probably something that we all need to remind ourselves more often than we think. You are not better than anybody else. And you may be wondering why I'm saying that, because I do think you're pretty amazing, but the world will tell you otherwise.You see, some people think that things like skin color, where you're from, how much money you have, what type of work you do, what you look like, where you went to school, or which part of town you live in make you better than another. But it's simply not true. At our core, we're all the same. All made in the image of God. We all have the same insides, we just have different details on the outside. We're uniquely equal. God has a plan for each of our lives. Just as no two people are the same, no two plans are, either. When we forget that, when we turn our eyes inward, love and kindness do not flow outward.
Each night we sing a song to you. The words go:
Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world
Red, brown, yellow, black, and white
They are precious in His sight
Jesus loves the little children of the world
My prayer is that you will always show love and kindness to people. Not because they look like you, live near you, or do the things you do. I want you to remember that just as you are precious to Him, so are all of His children. And because He first loved us, then we can freely show love to others.
"Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God." - 1 John 4:7
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