A 40th Birthday Hokey Pokey

I needed this experience today.  I've been stuck lately in a place where no one is accountable but everyone acts entitled, kids have attitude, class sizes are too big, parents are neglectful, everyone's too tired and has a sinus infection.  And then this....

We fell asleep early last night.  Shane in his recliner, me on the couch.  It was painful to wake up at midnight and move from the couch to our bed. Waking at seven o'clock this morning only to realize it was actually eight o'clock and then to get to nine o'clock church on time was no small accomplishment.  We didn't make it exactly on time, but we did make it.

The sermon was of the Hokey Pokey variety.  I missed much of it because I was making my grocery list on the back of a car wash coupon.  Today is my friend Boog's (Julie's) 40th birthday, and for her birthday she asked her friends on facebook to participate in 40 Random Acts of Kindness for her 40th.  I told her we were in, but since I'd not planned anything I asked the girls what they wanted to do for our family act of kindness. They decided they wanted to make Rice Krispie Treats.  I know, right?  Two little mother Theresas in the making.  They made their case by saying they would share a Krispie or two with our neighbor and friend, Jaida. Thus, the grocery list in church.  See? Justified.

Anyway, I did hear this much of the pastor's sermon:  If we are called to love others, then we gotta PUT OUR WHOLE SELVES IN.  It was good.  He talked of others' potential to crush our vulnerable hearts if we're brave enough to open ourselves up to that kind of love.  He talked about loving others, who might keep coming back like stray cats.  And if I'm honest, this one is scarier than the heart crushing one. I'm not really down for opening myself up to the stray cats of the world, mostly because I'm a big fan of my own, private scratching post, if you will.  Anyway, all of this was on my mind when we left church and went to breakfast.  We started with a walk through campus, a springtime favorite.....

Then to Taylor's for breakfast....

We got there the minute they opened, and walked by only one occupied table before picking our own sunny booth.  We ordered, and I set about trying to figure out what sort of  non-Rice-Krispie act of kindness we could do.  I explained about Boog's 40 Random Acts for her 40th Birthday.  I realize now, that I sort of explained, sort of sold it, because this is precisely the kind of act that I anticipate my husband to dismiss as stupid.  After all, he's really not a fan of stray cats, or people who abuse our federal government's definition of unemployed, or people who work less than forty hours a week, or people who don't work hard toward something in general. Anyway, I suggested that we buy breakfast for the other somebodies who were occupying the booth two away from ours, and was surprised when he said, "okay".  

There were two people in that booth, and from what Shane could tell when he stood up, one of them worked there.  We asked our server to give us the bill for what turned out to be an elderly gentleman who was chatting up the waitress, but who was having breakfast alone.

When the man got up to leave we were busted.  He came over to our table and told us what pretty little girls we had with us.  He shook my hand, wished us a good day and offered each of our girls a silver dollar.  He told them to hold tight to them because they're not easy to come by.  He was kind and grateful.  He made my husband cry. And for awhile even after he'd gone Shane kept wiping his eyes with his napkin.  

"We PUT OUR WHOLE SELVES IN!" I kept saying.  I waited for Shane to tell me to "stop saying that", or "quit being such a freak", one of his favorites.  

Instead, as we buckled ourselves in and got ready to drive away, he said, "I gave our waiter a forty-nine dollar tip."  What?!?! Holy acts of kindness, Batman!  Happy Birthday, Boog.  I've got some Rice Krispie Treats to make. After that I'm going to frame a couple of silver dollars.  And when I'm done with that, I think I need to make this on a sign that can hang in our house....