How I Love…. Loving in Big ways is good but don’t neglect the day to day and all in between!!!!
How do we love others? How do we do it? How do we show love to others? I think a lot of us think it’s gotta be big, you know? I love to do big things. Not only that, but I love to make big shows of love. I love, love, love to go and do a big fundraiser and raise a lot of money for charity. I love to give big amounts of money to somebody if they need it. If I have it. I love the big things. I do! But you know what matters more than that? I know you’re thinking, certainly something can’t matter more than big things?
It’s the little things and how you interact with God’s kids daily. Two things have happened to me this week that made me think about that. First, there is a person that did something greatly wrong to me in my business several years ago. They got punished. They’re being punished. The story is going around the internet. Some of my friends sent the article to me, which I do appreciate because they let me know what was going on. Because they know I don’t watch the news.
It makes me sad when people put it on Facebook, and they make comments about this person. They talk about her as if she’s just nothing, and they want her to have justice! And they just want to punch it to her and make her suffer for what she did. You know what, y’all? When people do something wrong, they are already suffering. They’re suffering so much more inside.
You know how in football when one person piles on somebody? Then they all start piling on. The first two or three people in the pile might have been good, but we all don’t need to pile on to people. We just need to love people where they are and find a way to love them through the things that they’ve done.
This person did a big thing to me, she took a lot of money. Again, she hurt herself more than me. So I’m hoping that we’ll show grace to others when they fall Because, if I fall…which I will, and I hope not in too big of a way, I hope that people show grace to me.
Another way we can love others is when standing in a long line. Yesterday, my company went to Shipwreck Island Water Park. My daughter Britt and I were standing in line for one hour. I know… how stupid of us! We were there for not a whole long time, but we spent an hour standing in line. I was aggravated about it.
I kept thinking, “Oh God, I can’t believe I’m standing in this line!” We were all acting like children. Then I realized after I did that why I did it. I noticed that the lady in front of me was giving a staff member the what for. She barked, “Why are my french fries cold?”
I thought… You know what? (I didn’t even tell Britt) Maybe I’m in this line for the sole purpose of showing love. When I got up to the front of the line, I was sweet to that young man who was getting flack from people. I told him he was doing a great job and just loved on him a little bit.
And then I didn’t care that I stood in line for an hour, you know? So it’s the little things we do when we see people, how we greet people. If we’re kind to people. If I do big things and I shout out from the rooftops what I’m doing. And then in turn in my day-to-day confrontations with God’s kids, if I don’t love them fully and wholly as God’s kids, I’m missing the boat.
We can love people in a little bitty way, and it’s a big thing.
Today’s affirmation: How I Love:
“God, I realized that each of your kids has their unique way of loving.
I love others when I smile at them and let them know they are seen, I love others when I allow them to be who they are, all spots and wrinkles. I love others when I encourage, and when I share my time. When I believe that their failures are more telling than their successes, I love others by
allowing God’s love to flow through me and impact others.
I love others by being honest, hopeful, trustworthy, steadfast, dependable, available, and accepting. I love others by being transparent and vulnerable and honest. I love others by, first, loving my creator and then loving me and accepting myself. And then loving others. And so it is.”
Y ‘all… I’m telling you, Every single day, if you are in the presence of another human being, you have an opportunity to show God’s love. It is so cool. Every single encounter with a human being is a chance to share the love. I don’t want to miss an opportunity. And that’s right before us today.
So today my wish for you, my prayer for you, my hope for you, and my charge for all of us today is when we leave this place, ask God to show you who you can love today. You may change their life by just a simple kindness, by a simple compliment, by a simple smile, and change the whole direction of their day.
You know what is equally true? If you’re unkind to somebody, and you snap at them, you also will change the direction of their day. Because I will tell you there is never ever a reason to be unkind to God’s kids. They can hurt us. They can hurt you. But, the way we respond to others can make a big difference in the world we’re living in right where we are.
We don’t have to leave home, y’all. When we have to go to the grocery store, when we have to go to the bookstore, just everywhere we go, we can share love with God’s kids. Isn’t that exciting to know you don’t have to leave home?
Please make sure you share this with others. Please visit my Instagram page, “My Happy Ass Life”, and share that with others. I do all kinds of silly little videos. A lot of it is about the people that say they’re too old to do stuff, Y’all…don’t ever say that to me. Those are fighting words!
Oh my gosh. I’m so thankful for each and every one of you, every single day. Sharing your love with me, so I can in turn share it with y’all and share it with others. So share this and be sweet.