Kindness, Encouragement, and Fudge

Have you ever had one of those days (or one of those weeks) where it seems like everything is going wrong? The kids are acting up and the smallest things just seem to get to you. Then you go out to the mailbox to find a surprise card from a friend just saying they’re thinking about you. Or maybe it’s a kind message in your inbox or a telephone call. Whatever the method, sometimes just that little something is what you needed to help turn your day around.

Over the past year, my family and I have been the recipient of a lot of love and encouragement from friends, family, non-profit organizations, and even strangers. Dealing with everything on my plate can get discouraging at times. The light at the end of this tunnel has seemed so far away that I could barely see it. I’ve cried many tears, but not all of them have been of frustration or sadness. Some of those tears have been tears of joy and tears that come from a heart that is overwhelmed by the kindness shown to us. Sometimes it’s something small but special like a handmade card from my great-aunt who I haven’t seen in many years. Other things are big and a bit overwhelming like being given a house or being given assistance from a non-profit to help us purchase the truck Justin’s always dreamed of having. Sometimes it’s going out to eat (usually at Cracker Barrel when this happens) and asking for the check only to find that another person there, or sometimes the serving staff, has already paid our bill. Other time it’s just a note in my inbox telling me that a friend or even someone I’ve never met has been praying for us every day. Sometimes it’s a postcard or package in the mail for Corey because they care about him and want to encourage him as the past year has been difficult for him too. Few things warm a mother’s heart like someone doing something nice for her child. Those are just a handful of ways we’ve been shown kindness over the past year. It would take me hours to tell of every act of kindness that has come our way, but each one has been appreciated.

Thinking about the kindness we’ve received made me think about how I have (or haven’t) shown kindness to others. Like most people, I’ve got plenty of room for improvement. I’m not always as gracious as I should be. I don’t always go out of my way to help others when I can. I do try though. I won’t list all the ways that I show kindness because I don’t do it for recognition or for show. I truly do enjoy helping people for the most part. I like knowing that something I did put a smile on someone’s face. I enjoy showing appreciation to people who deserve it. I will say that if the author of the “5 Love Languages” book decides to update his book to add chocolate as a 6^th language, that will definitely be my primary both for giving and receiving. Lol Ever since I learned how to make homemade fudge, it has been my go-to gift. Whether it’s a Christmas present, thank you gift, get well, cheer up, congrats, or just because, fudge can fit the occasion (for those who don’t have health issues preventing them from eating fudge anyway). It’s not a big thing and doesn’t cost that much. The effort on my part to make it isn’t all that much either, but sometimes people just need a little pick-me-up and I know that if someone were to give me fudge (or any sort of chocolate), they’d be my best friend forever. And really, sometimes it isn’t what you do or give, but it’s the fact that you cared enough to want to do something for someone that can really make a difference.

I say all that not to say “hey, maybe you should send Beth some chocolate” or “send Beth a nice message” (though those are always appreciate), but to encourage you to encourage others. Be kind to those around you. You never know how much your smile, your act of kindness, or your words will mean to someone. If you know a new mother, don’t ask her to call you if she needs anything because unless you’re family or a friend who’s like family, she probably won’t. Ask if you can do something specific like bring her a meal. Send a gift card for a pizza place so she can have the option when she needs a break. Put yourself in the person’s shoes and think of what would be the most helpful or mean the most to you if you were in their situation. And most importantly, pray for each other. My son asked me to take a picture of him and put it as the background on my computer. I told him that I wanted to keep my background the same as it already is – a picture of Justin and his platoon that was taken a month or two before he was injured. Why this picture? Partially because it reminds me of a time when our life was still normal (well, as normal as a military family with one part of the family deployed could be anyway). The bigger part is because seeing the picture of the guys in his platoon reminds me to pray for them. Those are the men who are responsible for Justin still being alive today, and I often pray that God will bless them and their families. I pray that they aren’t haunted by what happened on the mountain on June 9^th, but that they’re encouraged by how great Justin has done since that day and to know that they played a role in that by getting him safely down the mountain.

My challenge to you is to find someone in your circle of friends and family who needs some encouragement and do something nice to help put a smile back on their face. Also, put them on your prayer list (if you pray) and ask God to help them through whatever situation they’re going through. There’s so much negative in the world today, and it’s nice to see people being that ray of much needed sunshine to those around them.

(16.5 lb of fudge said "thank you", "cheer up", and "thinking of you" all at the same time...and sadly, that's an old picture. I don't currently have that much fudge in my fridge lol)