today i woke up in a bit of a funk. i’m an idealist. i woke up knowing i’d slept but not feeling rested. bumber #1. and that’s all it took to begin my focus on things i cannot control. like whether or not those i minister to and with are receiving proper spiritual nurture at every turn and why in the world that one person keeps on posting things on social media that aren’t at all helpful for her future work life. sure, i can add my two sense to the mix, speak directly to what i think is wrong/ineffective/dumb…but i can’t control another’s life.

my funk continued through my morning walk with Justin. he could tell i was caught up in my thoughts and when i shared parts of what i was processing, he acknowledged the good, i.e. the stuff i should be focusing on. but he didn’t word it like that because he’s kind. blessing #1.

and then i got on facebook and saw a post from an elementary school friend about not worrying, matthew 6, the stuff i’ve known for years but still need to be reminded of. thank you, Cindy. blessing #2.

next, on my way to work, i decided to stop at Kroger and pick up some orange juice. it’s not something i usually do, buy OJ that is, because of all the sugar. but i need the extra vitamin C to help my iron supplement stick so i went in search of pulpy OJ. on my way down the “energy drink” aisle to the OJ, i passed a cute little black girl shopping with her grandmother. they’re both natural heads so i gave them special attention. 🙂 a moment later, i heard a clear, “excuse me,” and figuring it was to a store clerk i’d just seen, i ignored it. the grandmother repeated herself and i turned. it was my attention she wanted along with an answer to the question, “what do you use in your hair?” i love that question, not because i have amazing things to say but because i love helping people understand the ins and outs of black hair. and so we talked as little miss cutie pie hid behind her grandmother’s legs. in those few moments that helped a grandmother get a better sense of what to do with her “little person” as she called her, i felt peace. for those moments, life wasn’t about me and the stuff i’d been worrying about in the few hours i’d been awake. no, life was about them and i soaked up every minute. (i was so grateful for what i realized God was giving to me that i could have hugged them…but i do have a thing about boundaries.) blessing #3 (& 4).

our worries are real. i don’t mean to minimize them. i do wish to refocus our thoughts, however, and soak up the blessings that time with others affords. today, others have helped me and i have, unintentionally yet thankfully, paid it forward. may the rest of the day be as blessed. may i be as open to the blessings.