Popsicles and pinky toes.

What does true compassion look like?

I believe it's just responding to the need in front of you. It's love in action. Love can be so many wonderful things... it's amazing how we limit that word.

Living a life of effective compassion doesn't have to be dramatic to be radical. A deep rooted empathy and a sense of personal responsibility enables profound change in someone's circumstances every day. I am thrilled to watch my adult children live this out and my little children taking hold of their significant roles in God's action plan of love in this world.

Basic thoughtfulness shines like a beacon of hope in the environment of discouragement that surround us. People take notice of consideration that was once expected: Holding a door for the person behind you, offering to lift heavy groceries for an elderly stranger, paying for someone else's lunch with your own lunch money when you see a hard working guy without enough on his debit card to pay for his subway.

We've had some awesome opportunities to witness huge mountains crumble before the power of God's love for the lonely and suffering. We've also seen him move mountains a pebble at a time.
As I often remind myself, "He's God. He has all day." The pebble stuff isn't less signifigant. It actually has a wider impact so it's equally critical.

My beautiful five year old exemplified this for me today and inspired me to encourage you.

I'd avoided the cat but major-ly stubbed my toe on a table leg. Bridger went running from the room and returned with a familiar white wrapper housing a popsicle. "Here Mamma. You can use it for a cold-ie and when your toe feels better you can eat it!" (the popsicle of course). lol

My husband donated his blood for me when I needed a transfusion last year. My Chari took me to my first lunch at Moe's when I was miserable with the wait for Gates. My friend Trish lugged her gorgeous virtual triplets, three and under, all the way to the airport to welcome Gates home.
My little friend Marie from Haiti who has graced my life with her bravery rushed over to hug us and sit on our picnic blanket with us even though she hadn't seen us in months. It's the love that every good gift is held together with. It's the motar for the bricks of every great work... and yet, it's so EASY! I know it's not always easy, but it can be and a life lived in effective compassion is filled with the micro moves and awesome acts blended together.

We've all go something to offer. If you look around and you want to do something... do anything.
You'll feel better.

Chasing Calm.

Hi all,
The message of the day in my heart is, "Seek peace and pursue it." In the midst of this hurried and over taxed (all over the place) world we are invited by the Creator of the Universe to 'relax'. I've been so thrilled to witness the calming of my Gates's heart in recent weeks. His 'fight or flight' rapid eye shifting constant motion door and window watching ways have occasionally given place to stretching out next to Dad during a football game on the sofa or swirling his markers over a page rather than the tight fist- ed manic scribbling he used to do. The fear is intermingled with looking for comfort outside of himself rather than the rocking and head banging so common among under stimulated institutionalized children.

It amazes me how alike we all really are. I was straightening up in the boys room recently and as they 'helped' me (constantly being distracted by yet another plaything) I mentioned in that motherly way, "If you all would return the toys to the place where you got them, you would be able to find them again easily and you wouldn't need to dump everything out too look for the one they needed hence the need to spend twenty minutes picking up and sorting again. Please do it the way I tell them to and it's better for everybody... yada yada. (smile). Instantly I heard in the deeper parts of me "Ditto."

I recognized his voice and I was reminded of the biblical phrase from young Samuel, "Say on Lord, your servant is listening." I considered if I was in a good 'place' for God to show me something, (like it's up to me). I braced myself emotinally and mentally squared my shoulders in preparation, then I said aloud. "Please show me what you want me to see Lord. Please tell me what you want me to know." God being God he blessed me with sharing his heart with me.
Jesus being Jesus he spent the rest of the day confronting me.

Not with the correction, direction and instruction my human mind expected... but with His love for me. Sounds just like Him doesn't it? My heart swelled with his gentle comfort. My mind became quiet as I considered His total acceptance of me. God snuggled with my spirit and held me to him for hours like a child in the arms of her Father whose holding a ten inch thick bedtime story book. He seemed to be saying, "Relax, we're going to be here awhile. I'm all yours Honey.

How can something so perfect and wonderful make you afraid? It doesn't. But my own humanity makes me afraid. The same way Gates is afraid. "What if I get lost in this love? What if I really let go of myself? What if I give up on self protection and struggling for control?" The unspoken question of our hearts is really, "What if this moment stops and I'm alone again?" God continued to pour a glimpse of his devotion toward me into my soul. He knew what I could take and he knew when I would distract myself. But amazingly He was still there when I looked back at Him.

He loves you in exactly the same way. Right in the middle of your day! Stretch out with your Dad and relax. He's faithful.

Love, K