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Monday, August 13, 2012

"Love is Patient, Love is Kind"


Proverbs 31: 10&26
"Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies...She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness."




Being kind turned out to be a whole-heck-of-a-lot harder than I intended it to be.
I guess it's a good thing that I had such a hard time being kind, because I really got to work on Becoming Better.



It seemed like such a simple concept, be nice to people. But then life stepped in and threw me new people and new situations that just frustrated me. Although these past couple of weeks have been hard for me, I decided to remember some acts of kindness that others provided. It helped me to be kind.

First story. I was previously employed at a place that really frustrated me, the people seemed consistently rude, and I seemed to cry at work everyday. (I know, I'm sure you're very surprised) 
But one day, something magical happened.

(Magic Johnson)
After a very long day at work, after hundreds of people had hung up on me, and cursed at me, a very kind woman said, "No, Thank You dear, and God bless you."

I started crying again, but this time it was a different kind of tear, it was the kind of tear that came straight from my grateful heart. Because. Indeed God has blessed me, with so so much.

(Blessings just to name a few, Ryan, Devin, and Nathaniel, and of course the beautiful mountains)

Next story.

Once upon a time I got the worst flu of my life.
No really though. It was bad. 24 hours of complete dreadful awfulness.

A midst all the horribleness I had this friend. She's really not like any other friend that I've ever been blessed to share a friendship with.
Beautiful Kimmie


She gave me ice cubes and zinc. She read me children's books and got me crackers and sprite and all the stuff that your mommy gives to you.

(SkippyJon Jones, one of my favorite children's books)
She exhibited the most Christ-Like love that anyone has ever shown to me.


Alright. Finally I couldn't tell about the kindness shown to me in my life if I didn't give a little shout out to Sherri Hanna (and of course, the rest of the Hanna Clan)



Little Rachel had just passed away and I found my little seven year old self at the Hanna's. I remember the look on Greg's face as he reminded me that I didn't need to cry. I remember him reaching up and wiping the tears off my face, placing that little tear in my pocket, and telling me, "Save this for another day."
The most distinct memory I have of that day though is what Sherri did for me.

Although her precious daughter had been taken from her, she looked at me, and held me in her arms. Then she did something that has forever made an impression on me.
She thumbed through dozens of pictures of her little girl, found just the right one, and then cut it out. She found a frame that fit just right, and then she gave it to me.


In hind sight I'm sure that she wanted to savor every picture that she had of Rachel, but instead she spread the joy of her daughter to so many of Rachel's girl friends.



That picture has been on my mantle for 13 years now. I've carried it in my pocket. I've kissed it goodnight. I'm so grateful for that little reminder.

I think the reason why all of these stories are particularly powerful to me is because they show real Christ-Like Love. The Kind people in my life have been there to remind me to stop thinking of myself. Being kind is about knowing the needs of others, and then faithfully putting them before your own...

It's hard to be nice. It's hard to take the blame. To brush off a rude comment. To smile through the tears. But it's all so incredibly worth it.

Joseph B. Wirthlin said,

"Kindness is the essence of a celestial life. Kindness is how a Christlike person treats others. Kindness should permeate all of our words and actions at work, at school, at church, and especially in our homes."



So team. Let's do this. Let's be more kind.

Finally, one last quote.
"Jesus, our Savior, was the epitome of kindness and compassion. He healed the sick. He spent much of His time ministering to the one or many. He spoke compassionately to the Samaritan woman who was looked down upon by many. He instructed His disciples to allow the little children to come unto Him. He was kind to all who had sinned, condemning only the sin, not the sinner. He kindly allowed thousands of Nephites to come forward and feel the nail prints in His hands and feet. Yet His greatest act of kindness was found in His atoning sacrifice, thus freeing all from the effects of death, and all from the effects of sin, on conditions of repentance." - Joseph B. Wirthlin