I have not been anxious to catch up on my blog, and I seriously have not had enough time to sit and write. That often means that there are loads of things to write about, but I haven’t felt a back up and I haven’t felt that urge to purge my brain of all the sentiment as I often do. Instead I have just enjoyed the busyness around me and watched the days work themselves out as I follow along checking off the items on my list and screaming at my kids now and then.
This morning, however, I want to write something. I have even less time than usual since my day is shorter with an early church service tonight (our church is hosting a rodeo…like with real bull riders and clowns…tonight through Sunday morning…in the sanctuary…where people usually take communion and get married and stuff.) and house guests arriving in the afternoon, but I want to.
As I don’t have a lot of time I will simply share a quick grocery shopping experience from yesterday.
I was taking my sweet time at Publix in Mt. Juliet because I had all three boys with me and hurrying is just a good way to get frustrated. I found all our list items and a few extras and headed back to the front of the store to check out. The boys were anxious to be helpful as usual. They start frantically grabbing at things before I can tell them not to, in order to get something from the cart to the belt. It’s so important to them. I am watching six arms fly toward things like eggs, bread and glass containers of salad dressing and I cannot take the time to be tactful so I say sharply, “stop!” I didn’t yell, I spoke. I just needed to get them to back off a second so I could direct them instead of chase them. A kind voice behind me chuckled a bit and when I turned I saw a man that I’ve seen at this store many times. He is a bit older, slightly heavy and he bags groceries with the utmost care. He also calms frantic mommies and entertains energetic children. With gentle authority he suggested I back away from the cart while he loaded the conveyor belt with my groceries. Two of my boys were also in the cart and within reach of several items. He fumbled with their aggressiveness too, but his approach was a bit more fresh than my own as he hadn’t been in the store with them for 30-40 minutes already. Once the groceries were out of the cart he directed Owen to go get another cart to help him carry out the groceries. Owen is getting very tall and is quite able to handle pushing a cart. He isn’t so great at steering it, but he sure can push.
Once loaded, our little group approached the van, me at the front of Owen’s cart steering from the front in order to protect the cars of other innocent shoppers, and the grocery man pushing Ivan and Aron and the rest of the groceries in the “rocket ship” cart behind us. I took care of buckling the younger boys while Owen and the grocery man unloaded carts. As he’s finishing up he looks at the boys and tells them what great helpers they are, how good they are and that they deserve a treat. I rolled my eyes from the other side of the van as I’m listening. More candy. I get so tired of people giving my kids candy. We have large jars of glistening sugary rewards in our house that I’m constantly telling my kids they can’t have. If they ate every sucker, tootsie roll and pixie stick they were given they wouldn’t have any teeth left. I was surprised though as I walked around to the back of the van, prepared to give a grateful smile for something I didn’t want, to find him pulling out one dollar bills. He gave each of the boys a dollar and encouraged them to put it in their piggy banks.
I was touched. I was tired, and finding myself thin emotionally from all the running around and herding boys along the way. It had been a bit of a rough morning in that things just weren’t clicking together the way I’d wanted. A stranger handing my kids a dollar may not seem like the answer to all that, but it sure did help me see straighter. I got in the van, turned on some music and let the boys chatter as loud as they wanted for a little while.
They really are good boys.
The world should have more people like that gentleman 🙂
When I was younger, this was more of the practice (not a dollar, mind you, but maybe a quarter). I have to agree that that onslaught of candy treats frustrates me from multiple levels: 1. not good for my kids or their teeth 2. it sets up the example of food rewards which, eh, ain’t so great 3. it makes all that stuff so overly-accesible that it is no longer a reward (if I ever took my kids to the drug store for a lollipop, it wouldn’t be met with oooohs and ahhhhhs or jumping up and down… they’re just too commonly acquired).
All that aside, what a kind man and what great boys. There are far worse things to create a commotion over- “helping” load the cart is a good one. SOme day they’ll do it quietly and with care.
And, as you mentioned it… WHAT IS THE DEAL with the rodeo??? I saw Becky’s video on facebook (didn’t comment) and I just don’t understand.
Tisra – The rodeo is the tail end of a sermon series called “No More Bull.” Pastor has been teaching in his typical style of truth without fluff and bringing the point around this week to an evangelical push that frankly leaves little excuse to not invite people to church. 🙂
The sanctuary is at a point where we need new carpet so why not take the opportunity to do something never done before and use that large space for a rodeo? The fact that it’s rodeo and not a skate park or free style bike competition speaks to Pastor’s Texas roots. That’s all I can say on that.
The sanctuary is literally covered in dirt right now and there are gates up and bulls ready to go. It’s a sanctioned event and the riders will be paid and rewarded in whatever fashion rodeo works. So the rodeo is on and the “No More Bull” sermon will follow. Oh…and Owen will be out with 29 other little kids chasing calves at the beginning of the event tonight. Should be fun.
After this weekend, they will rip out the carpet and replace it completely. I imagine that some painting touch ups may be required as well. 🙂
*shaking head with a smirk*, “Only at Cornerstone!”
Fun for Owen!
They are good boys.
What a sweet man! Personally, I am usually quick to jump to defensiveness when someone “helps” with my children – to a fault. Kudos for being able to let go in that moment. I’m sure he gained far more from the experience than even the boys did 🙂
Wow! How did you get inside my head Mary? I was just thinking about writing about this:) One of my mommy friends who has three kids and I were just talking about our shopping experiences at Publix and the times when no one offered to help us out. Amazing that he was not even on the clock and he was so good with the boys:) I love that he took that opportunity to be a blessing and to give you a little mini-break!
It is frustrating when we are going through the check out and even my hubby gives me the *help* look which is something to be said because he is so calm. There is just something to be said about all the grabbing and action going on and I for sure get flustered. I should probably stop writing and go update my blog at this point but I guess you touched on a nerve with me:)
I always hope that I would have the courage to go up to a stranger to offer my help even if it be to return a cart, entertain a sibling while Mom gets another one settled or just help if a child is having a tantrum or what not. Sometimes just a little distraction or a new face helps. I am sure there are situations where it might not help at all and it could be awkward but if that was me I would appreciate it.
Thanks for posting this~ you really got me thinking. I used to think I didn’t need any help and know I just laugh at that idea. You should have seen me trying to get out of my friend’s pool today while changing all three kiddies and myself:) She helped me so much. Sorry this is so long!
I love the rodeo idea! The church should be a fun place. I have thought that for a long time. No wonder kids go to the world for fun when we as Christians separate our lives into categories and “fun” is always in the non-spiritual (is there such a thing?)category. What a wonderful pastor you must have!
What a nice man….on several levels. He swooped in to provide help just as it was needed most. He spoke positively into the boys. He rewarded them…..and not with candy:) I was thinking about the fact that any time I remember seeing Mom need help out to the car when I was very young, there was a tip expected by the “helper”. Nice to hear of a tip being given the other direction:)