Beautiful Again

 "Shared joy is double joy; shared sorrow is half sorrow."  -John B. Hayes

It was a normal ordinary day at the local Winco grocery store. As I began putting my items on the checkout counter, I overheard the young grocery clerk ask the man in front of me a question. I did not catch the actual question, but I could see the look on the man's face. He paused as if he was stumped by the question, and said, "I don't really know." This made me more curious and wished I had been physically closer to hear the details of the conversation.  I emptied my cart and watched how friendly this young man was behind the counter. He seemed to like his job and enjoy ringing up customers' groceries. He handed the man in front of me his receipt with a smile and with good wishes for his day. Then he turned to me with that same kind smile. After asking how my day had been going, he asked me what I believe he asked the man in front of me, "If you could change anything about the world, what would it be?" Now I understood why the man before me looked a bit confused moments ago. What a question to ask a stranger, but what a profound one too! It is one of those questions that could have lots of answers, but one you want to answer well.  I instantly wished I had more time to process and think about my answer, but I said the first thing that came to my mind, "I wish we (people) would always respond in love to one another?" 

Nodding his head, he quickly said to me, "Ah, like the Bible says to love your neighbor as yourself."

I was surprised and impressed by his quote from scripture and replied, "Yes, correct."

Then the twenty-some year old looked directly at me and said,

"Then be the change you want to see in the world." 

Bold. Direct. Kind. And So True.

I had planned to write something very different for this post, but after the events of last week in our world I just could not put the right words down when my heart was filled with a sense of emptiness, sadness, confusion, and even fear. I am sure we have all felt the uneasiness and with empathy, shared the sorrow. Violence brings out so many emotions, and we all respond differently to them. As I sat on my front porch to once again ground myself in the quietness of God's nature and presence, I also sat in all those emotions and allowed my soul to grieve the loss of innocence, of feelings of safety, and honestly, a loss of hope. I waited...and waited for the sun to rise because in September it rises a little later now. But as the sun peeked over the tree line as it consistently does every morning, God's sun shined its light on me and made everything beautiful again...just like David Crowder's song, "Stars". 

The world is crazy all around us, but God is steady, true, and always with us. We cannot control the events like last week or curb the hatred that seems to be rampant, but like the Winco clerk reminded me, I can be the change I want to see in the world. I can do that. I can bring light into ordinary moments and make things a little more beautiful again. By sharing joy, I can double it. I can't help but wonder how that one question changed the perspective, the attitude, and the day of each customer at the store, bringing a little light and joy into their world. A question that stopped us in our tracks and a hope-filled reminder that we too have the capability to impact our world for the good.  Several years ago this wise young man modeled that to me, turning an ordinary grocery store visit into a meaningful, extraordinary moment I will never forget.

"Many are asking, 'Who can show us any good?'
Let the light of your face shine upon us, O Lord. 
You have filled my heart with greater joy.
I will lie down and sleep in peace,
for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety."
Psalm 4: 6-8

We are not powerless because we serve a loving, powerful God who chooses to work in us and through us. It will never be easy to grasp the insanity of violence, but God can still show us good in the midst of it and bring light into those dark moments. 

I never saw that clerk again, but God brought him to my mind this week to refresh my memory to "Be the change you want to see in the world" and bring beauty into the mess, the hurt, and the sorrow.

If you could change anything about the world, what would it be? 

What emotions do you simply need to sit in right now?

In what area of your life do you need God to shine His light on and make beautiful again?

 "Stars" by David Crowder 

(God ministered to me through this song many years ago when I was a young mom,
overwhelmed and lost, and felt as if I did not know where to turn.
I hope God speaks to you through it as well.) 

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Health Tip #2: Eat Foods in the Right Order

Yes, I follow Jessie Inchauspe, founder and author of the Glucose Goddess (thanks to Wendy Knight), and this is one of her hacks to reduce blood sugar spikes after a meal. She suggests that the right order to eat our food in to minimize a glucose spike is: 1) Fiber -vegetables, 2) Protein & Fats, 3) Starches & Sugar.  So start with those veggies to keep longer energy throughout the day!  And the next time you are in the grocery store, try buying foods that only fit into those first two categories - fibers & protein/fats.