Happy Tuesday, My Friend!
Are you familiar with the children’s story “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day”? I don’t remember precisely what all happened to poor Alex that day, but it was a lot of bad stuff, as evidenced by the title. I want to share a completely opposite experience I had just the other day.
I shall title it “Patti and the Marvelous, Magnificent, Glorious, Amaze-balls Day.”
One day last week, I was at an area nursing in the morning. I volunteer there once a month with a friend who has a puppet ministry. She, another friend of hers, and I put on a “short program” every month, including puppets, music, trivia, and reminiscing-type games. It’s a lot of fun, and I hope the residents enjoy themselves as much as we do. That kicked off my marvelous day, chock full of blessings. That alone was a blessing to me. And so marks Blessing #1. If the day went downhill from there, I still would have been happy, but it continued to get better.
As we were getting all our gear packed up after our show, one of the women sitting in the back approached me as I was packing up my keyboard. I hadn’t seen her before, so I guessed she was new to the facility, perhaps even there a short term for therapy, as she looked younger than the typical nursing home resident. She told me how much she enjoyed the show and appreciated our time. Wow. Blessing #2.
Feeling happy but hungry, I made my way toward home and decided to stop at a local restaurant and pick up something to bring home and eat. As I went through the line, the young lady who assembled my meal actually made eye contact with me and smiled! Twice! Now, how remarkable is it that we note people who look at us and smile! I wasn’t just another person she was trying to get through the line quickly to get on to the next. And then, to top it all off, she told me she liked my shirt! She was maybe all of 17 years old, but that little bit of attention and actual “regard” she paid me made my day . . . again! Blessing #3.
Before I’d reached the checkout, I looked into the kitchen, and there was the manager, a young man I had known when he was a little kid! He went to the preschool where I worked as a music teacher and was also in the kids’ choir that I helped direct for years. I’ll never forget him in one of the musicals we put on. He was adorable and hilarious, and there he was, all grown up. I waved at him, wondering if he’d even remember who I was. He did more than wave back; he came out from the back and hugged me across the counter. I hadn’t seen him in ages, and he quickly caught me up on his life. The place was busy, but he took the time to chat with me for a minute or two . . . and then, he didn’t charge me for my lunch! When I looked at him with, “Oh, no, you don’t have to do that,” he replied, “Please, it’s the least I can do.” Listen, if you thought I was happy when a girl told me she liked my shirt, imagine my glee at getting a free lunch! More so than the free lunch was the sweet recognition from one of my “choir kids.” I left, smiling from ear to ear. Blessing #4.
But wait, there’s more.
That same afternoon, I looked outside my front door to find a package. Huh, I don’t think I ordered anything. (Miracle of miracles.) Is it for Kevin? No, it had my name on it. Maybe he ordered something and just put my name on it. I figured I’d open it and solve the mystery.
Before I reveal its contents, let me fill you in on something. I had been to a friend’s house for lunch the week prior. She had a small group of us over, and I had noticed in her bathroom the most delightful-smelling candle in all of creation. I meant to ask her what it was before we left, but I forgot. I was going to try to lift it up and check the bottom for a label, but it was pretty big and had melted a good bit, and I figured I’d either pour wax all over myself or her bathroom, neither of which was a good idea.
I called her the next week to chat, and she didn’t answer, so I left a message. “Oh, by the way, what was the scent of that candle in your bathroom? I loved it so much!” I didn’t realize she was out of town, so I didn’t hear back from her right away. Now, back to that package at my front door . . .
. . . As I opened up the package, I saw a box. It definitely contained something heavy. As I opened the box, I began to smell that gorgeous aroma—the same one in my friend’s house! Instead of telling me the scent of the candle I admired, she bought me one and shipped it to my house! Come on! I consider myself a “kind of nice” person, but it wouldn’t have occurred to me to do that! It smells so good, and I haven’t even lit it yet! I just have it sitting on my kitchen counter—I can still smell its lovely scent (French Lilac, btw). I almost don’t want to light it because I don’t want it to go away. Blessing #5.
Days like that don’t come around very often. In fact, they rarely do. Maybe that’s a good thing. Can you imagine if those special gifts became so commonplace that we didn’t recognize them as the blessings that they are?
Like I said, it doesn’t take much to encourage someone. Had the day only beheld the very first one, I’d still consider myself well-blessed. But God must have figured I needed a handful of them that day. They will keep me smiling for days to come.
I hope you will be at the receiving end of a blessing or two this week! But don’t forget, “It’s better to give than receive!” (Though receiving is pretty great if I do say so.)
Have a wonderful week! Count your blessings. Name them one by one!
Written with love – – Patti XOXO 
“The unthankful heart discovers no mercies;
but the thankful heart will find, in every hour,
some heavenly blessings.”
Henry Ward Beecher