The Gift

 When my kids were young, as in two to five year old, I was creative with when I would go grocery shopping. I would go in the wee hours of the morning, sometimes at 10 o'clock at night with girlfriends. I would go during a lunch hour, or after work. I took just one child with me. Or I sent the list to my husband and have him pick up groceries on his way home from work.  I usually would just take the youngest and let her shine happy rainbows to all the other customers.

Often, grocery shopping is a thankless task. Something to be done quickly and efficiently. That is not something that a toddler or preschooler understands. At the grocery store, there is a brand new array of sights to see and people to meet. Rather than hurry thru the task and beat down that curiosity as I tried to do with the older two, when I thought efficiency mattered more than relationships, I learned to slow down and embrace our meandering pace thru the store. When I did that, it would create margin in our lives. Margin that allowed us to meet new people in the aisles of the store. Or even the greeter at the front entrance.  

Because I have the opportunity to craft our day as we will, I have the opportunity to create space. I have the gift of time. That gift can be shared with others. Like the greeter at our local box store. She is a delightful retired kindergarten teacher who smiles brightly at every customer. We also met the cat lady who was recently divorced. She was having a bad day and our fifteen minute conversation gave her a bright spot in her lonely evening. Or countless other random conversations where I have been able to offer hope and encouragement to others because I was willing to slow down the pace of life. Not because I naturally move slowly, but because I was shown how to be slow by the gift of my little ones. 

You have those same opportunities. To slow down and create space for even strangers. We get so wrapped up in our daily habits and chores, that we often forget that we are called to "Go out into all the world and make disciples of the nations." like it tells us in Matthew 28:19-20. This doesn't have to be done from a pulpit or by the missionary you heard last Sunday. In fact, a large part of going into all the world is our job. When we remember that we are all called a part of the royal priest hood like Hebrews tells us, we can each do our part to build God's kingdom. One grocery store conversation at a time. 

So choose to take it easy. Try to let go of the list and embrace what may come. It feels weird and awkward, but it's worth it.