Abundant Blessings

I just came out to sit on the front porch to cool down. It hasn’t been like this for weeks now. The thermometer says it’s 79 degrees, but the humidity is way down and that’s so nice. Around here that’s the sarcastic retort: it’s not the heat it’s the humidity that’ll kill you. Whatever.

Annie and Penelope left yesterday afternoon. I miss the laughter already. We went to several garage sales yesterday morning. Annie was quite excited to find a bentwood rocker for only $8. It’s in really good shape and has a pad. She never had a rocker when Penelope was little and believe me, I groused a lot about that one! She loves this one and swears to use it now and with the new baby. We got some other good buys, too.

Later in the evening Beth, Nelson and I did yard work. It turned into a way for Beth to earn some gas money. She’s still between paychecks. She worked really hard mowing and trimming bushes. I was really proud of her and totally appreciated her hard work in the killer heat, er, humidity.

This morning I was sitting by the front door, listening to the birds singing. One was singing loudly, but all of a sudden got much louder. Teasingly, I told Nelson that it must be on the front porch. I stood up to look out the door and there not 10 feet in front of me was the most beautiful cardinal perched on the wrought iron pillar of the porch.

I may have to find an extension cord and sit out back on the swing to write. One of the bushes that Beth and I worked on last night is a huge honeysuckle bush beside our garage. The smell is divine. If I found a cord I sit out on the lawn swing and inhale the heavenly aroma and gaze at my gorgeous climbing roses. Oh, and my hostas have taken wonderfully! And the flowers I bought last week are thriving and beautiful. I may actually have developed a teeny tiny green thumb. Yay!

Friday was truly a no drama day at work and that made me very happy. We put 50% more production on the new line! I was very pleased. We’re still not where I want us to be—or where we need to be, but it was a significant improvement and one that we can totally build on!

It’s so still sitting here on my front porch. My Pooh flags are barely moving. A robin just ran right up to the edge of the porch and stood and looked at me. It was a very brief encounter. She nabbed a worm by one of the hostas and ran off to the tree lawn. Sitting here in the stillness, listening to the birds I am just flooded with contentment. Life is so far from what I dreamed it would be, or could be. But right now, for some totally inexplicable reason, none of that really matters. I’m totally okay with what I have.

I did something a week ago Friday that has made me smile all week long. Many of you read my entry about finding the $20 in my jeans pocket (“Way Cool God Thing” Jan. 12, 2005). Well, one of the women I work with has really been struggling financially. She came to work with us originally as a work-for-foodstamps program and was hired on full time because she’s such a good worker. She was recently released from prison after a five year sentence. She’s been wearing the clumsy toe protectors. And in spite of the challenges life had been throwing at her she maintained a really positive attitude.

Well, I asked her a week ago Thursday why she hadn’t purchased any steel toe shoes yet. She looked a bit embarrassed, so I followed up by asking if it was a money thing. She nodded. I then got even bolder. I asked her if she had the money, would she buy the shoes? She then told me definitely yes! The boots she had been wearing had been issued to her while she was in prison working on the loading docks. They had no shoes in her exact size and nothing big enough with steel toes. She wore boots that didn’t really fit, that looked like they could be steel toed to appease anyone who might do an audit of the area. So even though she might have continued the deception now, she chose to be honest and wear the toe protectors.

I proceeded to tell her the story about finding the money in my jeans and receiving a refund check at the very same time which enabled me to purchase my own steel toed shoes. Since Nelson and I are now both bringing home paychecks, I felt a real need to pay forward the $20 blessing I found in my jeans. So I asked if she’d buy the shoes. She stood there looking at me like I offered her a million bucks. We both got all teary. I brought the money in on Friday. She could barely take it when I offered it to her. Nelson was a little skeptical, but I just believed.

Monday morning she bepopped into the work area with her brand new work shoes. She came in a few minutes early to show me and give a thank you card. There was such a spring in her step all week long. When we started the new packaging plan right off the line, she was one of the people I assigned to the job. She was nervous at first, but gained confidence each day.

Life is so full of crap to bring us down. Challenges come at us right and left. Dreams go unfulfilled. Amid all that, it takes so very little to build people up. I want to be a people builder. There’s such a neat feeling that comes from seeing someone’s confidence lift.

Can I challenge you? Look for a way, a small way to build someone up this week. It’s awesome…really awesome!

Oh, and I want to report that Nelson bought me two pairs of steel toed shoes off ebay. We were able to get them for a really good price. They fit better and my feet are much happier! Just another blessing that I’m totally thankful for!