Giving compliments

As I was leaving class today and walking through the building, I kept seeing so many women I just wanted to compliment. A Hispanic woman that sits in front of me that is seriously beautiful, even when she has on zero make up and her hair in a ponytail. A beautiful African American girl a few rows over that has the most perfect complexion I've seen outside of photoshop and dresses so cute every single class. A woman that had great shoes, another girl with a warming smile, and so on. This mentality is one that was accidentally, purposely ingrained into myself. If that makes sense.

Several years ago, I had to go to Walmart for something during peak crazy holiday shopping hours. I was, obviously, NOT looking forward to it and almost changed my mind while sitting in my car, until I decided that I would go. I came up with the idea of going in for two things, what I wanted to buy (that I can't even remember now) and to compliment one woman. The purchase, I remember no details from, but the compliment I do. It was easy. I was checking out, and the girl checking me had her name tag on with one of the prettiest names, Ebony. I love it. I remember the way her eyes lit up at a random compliment from a stranger on a day that I'm certain she would have preferred not to be working.

As I left the store, I thought about how different my mentality had been the entire time I was in the store compared to what it would have been. It's hard to get annoyed with people when all you have on your mind is finding good in people. From then on, I would get out of my car with a number. I wanted to compliment 3 women...and not just to gain the number...it had to be a legitimate compliment that I truly meant. Eventually, it just became habit.

Such a small thing not only formed in me to see more good in people, but it also make me get out of my shell a little. I'm really not comfortable talking with strangers and I've never been a great encourager, but there's something that puts you and another person in a good mood when lifting them up.

My favorite part of it? Though I never had the purpose of complimenting women to rub off on my children, and in fact...I thought they were too young, it has. We can't go to a store without London complimenting every. single. woman. she sees. I love it. And she means it. It helps that the girl loves color, sparkly, and accessories, so she ooo's and ahh's over dresses, headbands, wedding rings, whatever.

This is such a random post, but it has been such a blessing in my life that I thought I may as well share. :)

motor mouth

Do you ever just get tired of yourself? I'm not even kidding, y'all. Lately, the thought keeps coming to mind, "...I have NO idea why people keep asking me to hang out! I have zero self control over my mouth." Lance and I both have this sincere urge to be that person in the room that hardly talks, but when they do, you listen because it's always good. He does very well in public with it, then talks up a storm at home. I'm the opposite. I seem to able to control my tongue and discern an attitude or situation before speaking at home, and...not so much in public. Part of it may be because at home, pretty much all my time is spent speaking to people that can either not understand what I'm saying, or isn't listening anyway.

Words are very important to me. I mean what I say, and I hold others to the same...but you would never know that by the amount of chatting away I do, whether harmless chit chat, or words I regret because of a lack of discernment in using my words. I don't have a lot of extra time for much, especially people not related to me, and I would love it if I spent those moments in lifting up others, glorifying my Lord, and finding out more about them and their needs than talking. For more than a year now, the Spirit has been showing me this in my life and I leave almost every single conversation with others thinking, "I wish so badly I'd just been quieter." My lack of self control has not been getting that much better, since I still don't hear the Spirit until I've left the conversation (hard to hear over your constant chatter haha), but I'm still determined to work on it. In fact, I'm rambling on this post because I've decided this will be a serious prayer focus from this point on. Let's hope for the sake of my friends, children, and His name, it'll be a fast transition ;).


This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says:
“In repentance and rest is your salvation,
in QUIETNESS and trust is your strength,
but you would have none of it.
Isaiah 30:15