Grace, The Little Things Matter

We, my siblings and I were playing kickball today. Our ages go from sixteen to four, so it is a wide range. Anyway.

It was my baby sister's turn to kick. I say baby sister, she is a very grown-up and mature four-year old, but she is the baby of the family, so she is still little to all of us. So she went there to kick and at the first throw she got so interested in watching the ball roll that she forgot to kick, and it rolled right past her. My older brother, had to stand behind her to be catcher, because, "She might be to tough for him". After going through this two times she finally kicked it. It went about 3-4 yards. But she was so excited to watch her kick roll away that she forgot to run to the base. It took her a long time to figure everything out, but she was having the time of her life.

I will tell you why, it was because me and all of my other siblings were cheering her on and encouraging her, regardless of all the mistakes she made. We sacrificed keeping the game realistic in order to make her feel welcome and loved. And she was so happy.

My youngest brother was also happy. My older brother made him feel excited by letting him be the coach for that round. He got to tell everyone which base to go to, and what to do. We encouraged him and built him up, and he was so happy! I must say that was the cutest little coach I have ever seen. ;)

I remember being three years old. I was trying to learn to write my name. My name is "Grace". It isn't horribly hard to write, but when you are three and just learning to write letters it is a challenge. Mama worked with me, and worked with me, and worked with me again and again! I remember one day where we spent most of our "school" time working on that. I had tried and tried and still hadn't gotten in right.

I was discouraged so Mama had me take a break. But when I finished dinner that night, I often finish eating before everyone else, I decided to go back to that schoolroom and try again. I wrote the name "Grace" with a purple(my favorite color back then) on a torn piece of file folder. And I did it! I was so thrilled! I showed Mama and Daddy and Galen(we were the only two back then) and they cheered for me and were so excited. I remember how proud I felt when Mama told me what a big girl I was and how smart I was.

We still have that in my memory box. I still love to write my name. I write it everywhere, on the edge of my mathbook, in the sausage grease that gets waxy in the pan, in dust on the shelf, in shaving cream, in spaghetti sauce, in the dirt on the van, in the mud, in the sand, in my paint, I write my name EVERYWHERE!

And the reason why I do, is because I was so encouraged about it when I was younger. Encouraging your parents, your younger siblings especially, your friends, and even strangers can really make their day. It is often the little things that matter, you don't have to buy them a mustang, you don't have to take them to dinner(though sometimes that's a good idea ;) you don't have to give them a gift every time you see them. Just do little things, give them a pleasant good morning, a simple compliment, a hug, make their bed, jump up to refill their water glass at the table, offer to do a little something to give them a hand.

It is worth it all girls, we only have one life to live, and often even less time to always be with some of these people, so make time matter, and do the little things!

1 Thessalonians 5:11

"Therefore, comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing."

NKJV