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April 22, 2003 - "Blessed by Simplicity"
Welcome to 2TheHeart!
"Every action of our lives touches on some chord that will vibrate in eternity." ~Edwin Hubbel Chapin
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WRITING WORKSHOPS! Our next series begins April 28 (next Monday)! Choose from our Creative Writing, Advanced Creative Writing and our Get Published! workshops. Register now! www.2theheart.com/WritingWorkshops
MOTHER'S DAY BOUTIQUE! 2TheHeart's Mother's Day Boutique is now online! Shop here for delightful and unique gifts from our own 2Theheart family members. Handmade angels, bracelets for Mom, massage certificates, great books and lots more can be found in our boutique: www.2theheart.com/boutique
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It's great to be back with you after a week off! I am happy to share a new story by Kathy Norris about an experience with two of God's very special children that blessed her as I'm sure it will you. Please don't forget our Military Bear fundraiser! www.cafepress.com/2theheart
"Blessed by Simplicity"
by Kathy Norris
This is a simple little story, with a simple meaning - but it has a very powerful message...
I recently started working part-time at a discount store. I have had the opportunity to observe customers from all walks of life. Even though the store is a 'discount' store, shoppers range from well-to-do to the plain and simple whose economic needs probably necessitate their shopping at discount stores. Of course I already knew that having a bright loving persona isn't by any means related to how affluent a person is, and that is what this little story is about...
This week a special blessing was sent my way! Three very special customers came in together - three young ladies - or maybe I should label them angels in disguise! I was standing behind the counter as they entered and realized that one of the ladies was the caregiver and that she had brought the other two 'mentally challenged' ladies in to shop. I believe that's the modern term for what society formerly called 'mentally retarded'. Webster's Dictionary defines the word 'retarded' as 'slow or delayed'. What I am about to describe certainly reflects neither...
As the ladies shopped all around the store eventually they came up to the counter where I was standing, to look at the ring display. One of the ladies had her arms overflowing with little toys and other items. I think most of it was for friends back at the group home where they lived. She was naming what she had chosen special for each friend. She then carefully picked out a ring which she said she was buying for her boyfriend. The other lady tried on different rings and then decided upon one for herself, with the guidance of the caregiver, who was so kind and patient with them. As they were standing at the counter looking at the rings, I started talking to them, and one of the ladies formally introduced me to the caregiver and to her other friend. She put her arms around each one, hugged them up close to her and said, "These are my friends", and told me their names. Then she looked direct at me, smiled, and said, "You are two of a kind!" I smiled back at her in silence, not knowing what she meant by that! I have since thought about those words and I'm not totally sure of what she meant by them, but I hope that in her own special way perhaps she sensed a friendly loving spirit within me as that of her friends! That one simple little sentence blessed my heart that day, and made me feel very special!
I saw the joy of simplicity that these ladies were savoring, and I felt the happiness they were sharing together as friends. As they paid for their purchases with their own money, I could sense their feeling of satisfaction of being independent in choosing what they wanted to buy. They seemed so happy and content with what they had chosen. No debating over whether they should do this or that, and no discussing or worrying whether their friends would be happy with the gifts chosen just for them. I'm sure they had no doubt that their friends would appreciate what they had bought for them, because it was coming from their hearts.
Just a simple day - a simple shopping spree - but it made me realize that these young ladies were living life to the fullest! I believe they were truly angels in disguise sent just for me that day, to make me more aware of how complicated I tend to make my own life sometimes, and that I need to slow down, look around, and savor the simple joys of life. It's right there under our noses, if only we will slow down enough to see it! These young ladies didn't have lots of worldly possessions or any of the things that we think we have to have in order to enjoy life. They were just simply enjoying the pathway that God had chosen for their lives, to the best of their abilities. How many of us can honestly say that we do that?
It's the simple things in life that matter the most. Sometimes we get so busy that we forget that. We get so caught up in the rat race of life that we forget how our lives can be so richly Blessed by Simplicity!
By Kathy S. Norris
knorris@peoplepc.com
I love writing, and I love reading 2theheart stories! I try to write stories that I can pass down to my grandchildren so they will know a little more about their "granny" when I am long gone. I live in God's country - Cullman, Alabama - and enjoy writing stories and poems that I have "lived". God has blessed me with my wonderful husband of 30 years, two beautiful daughters, two great sons-in-law, and five precious grandchildren! God is so good! **See Kathy's previous stories "Mary Bea" and "In Search of a Mother" in our archives: www.2theheart.com/archives
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Send Mom a box of freshly made truffles with her favorite photo on it! Dan's not only makes the world's best chocolates, but now lets you upload photos to your order! Add fresh flowers for a Mother's Day gift she'll never forget! http://www.qksrv.net/click-404250-10284561
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The Letter Box:
Dear 2theHeart family,
I am so in shock, and so very grateful, for being chosen as Writer of the Month...I never once even thought about 'God Speaks' as being anything more than being able to share a ltl bit of my heart with y'all...The story, or testimony, as I think of it, practically wrote itself, and yet, was very hard to write, too...It means more to me, than words can express....cause it means....you understood what I was trying to say...that God takes care of all the burdens of our hearts...even those we don't recognize ourselves....Isn't that just awesome? GOD BLESS YOU ALL Sandy Smith
PS...I wanted to share this with ya'll...Last night I was compelled to go thru some of my Dad's old photo albums. I came across his album of when he was in IRAQ and IRAN, doing the pipeline, there, in 75. In it, is a picture he took, of the dome that we all saw behind the statue of Saddam that was recently pulled down....In the picture, right where the statue stood....(this picture having been made before the statue was put there ) is the shadow of a cross....I also found a leaf from the Garden of Eden....how neat is that ???
Sandy,
You go girl! I think you're the first 2theheart writer to be "Writer of the Month" twice! I'm so impressed! You're a woman who writes from the heart and it makes your words that much more special! I'm so happy for you! Blessings, Sue Henley
Dear Mike,
What a beautiful story about your Dad! It brought tears to my eyes and I hope you write a lot more for 2TheHeart! Love, Geena
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www.2theheart.com
Making a difference, one story at a time!
Mother's Day BOUTIQUE! www.2theheart.com/Boutique
See our 2TheHeart logo store! www.cafepress.com/2theheart
To submit a story: www.2theheart.com/submit_story/
Archives: www.2theheart.com/archives
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