Little Opportunities for Grace

I am super excited!  With the exception of a family pass that I need to order online and one $5 Dunkin gift card and some candy for stockings(that I don't want to get until closer to Christmas because I might eat it:)...I am done Christmas shopping!  I love getting it done early so that I have more time to focus on other important aspects of Advent (like the real reason for the season!) and the special food and decorations and family time. (Or at least try to...there are always more things I want to do for the kids or the house than I have time for!)

Mike hasn't been able to work since he broke his hand, so I've taken advantage of having him home to get some extra shopping done.  I'm not brave enough to take out Kate and Luke to stores on my own...but with an extra set of hands(well...hand lol) I've been able to get to stores during the week and tie up the loose odds and ends!

I had to get some items at Walmart today.  I haven't been there in a while since I'm lucky if I can get to the grocery store each week.  After today, I'm kind of glad.  It was crazy in there!  There was a woman yelling at someone to "Stay in the G...damn line!" that I heard from the soap aisles!  Yikes!  Then, as I was leaving, there was an elderly woman who was losing it because she was having trouble finding the money in her purse.  The sales associate was being so kind, too, telling her to take her time while she put the woman's bags in her cart.  The woman was starting to scream at her...and I mean scream!  Yikes, again!

Yeah..I'm all set with that store for a while!

The daily quote of the day from Catholic Digest touched me today, so I thought I would share:

Today's Quiet Moment Wednesday, November 28 Did I offer peace today? Did I bring a smile to someone’s face? Did I say words of healing? Did I forgive? Did I love? These are the real questions! Henri Nouwen

What a good reflection!  What a good challenge!  It's amazing how many opportunities God places in our path everyday..I know I miss many of them.  Thankfully, I don't miss all of them!  Even the instance with the women yelling at Walmart and the elderly woman losing it at the clerk....praying for these people and trying to be charitable in thought, (maybe there was a disability or dementia involved), is an opportunity for Grace.

That's an important part of Living in the Moment through the eyes of faith!

Thankful Thought #28:
I am thankful for teenagers who walk through the door and show such excitement at seeing their baby sister!