. .. .. .... .. ..... .... ..... .... .. .... . .. .. .. .... . ..
I have the wonderful privilege of reading to my growing kiddos each morning before school - and this particular morning's reading was all about kindnesses and I immediately thought of a book that they all three read and learned about in school - in their early years!! And.. I remember doing a post on it - so HERE that one is. You have to read it - in fact, I CANNOT wait to share this same post with my kids later this afternoon or evening.
We NEED the reminder.
WOW!
Okay.
So, this reading this morning from The Life of Samuel Johnson in The Book of Virtues (p. 329) ... is talking about kindnesses shown and keeping our friendships in constant repair. Here is what else I read:
We cannot tell the precise moment when friendship is formed. As in filling a vessel drop by drop, there is at last a drop which makes it run over; so in a series of kindnesses there at last one which makes the heart run over.
~~
It's a thought that is very much on my heart and mind. As our lives ebb and flow and changes come and go - that ultimately bring about a change in our relationships... it is a real challenge to maintain some of those friendships. And.. yet. We NEED to keep adding to our friendships or soon we'll have none. Am I right?
I'm so grateful for the many lovely friends that fill my cup!! Not to mention, my Lord and Savior. He is the source of it all.
And so... as I keep the constant repair happening... tending to the drip by drip of filling another's heart-vessel with kindnesses - then my saucer will be filled, as well, full and overflowing.
Because, paraphrasing from Luke 6:45, out the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.
I may venture to say it is the only time I care to be known as a "constant drip"... if you know what I mean. Think about it! What an opportunity to be a slow and steady blessing, one drip at a time, in someone's life... that at some point... is when their heart is full and BOOM!! that bucket is filled to the top and overflowing.
I hear what you are saying, Bevy. It is something that we do need to work at one drip at a time. These words, "I may venture to say it is the only time I care to be known as a "constant drip"... if you know what I mean." brought a smile to my face because I do know exactly what you mean. Back in the spring the Lord chose to give us two Filipino missionary guys to us as our "adopted sons". The one is already back in the Philippines but the other one spent part of the weekend with us this past weekend. He has been sick for a while so when he came I started the homeopathic regimen that my husband and I follow. I was being that continual drip...to the point that I even realized I was being a nagging mother. :) I emailed him later and apologized for nagging him because I didn't mean for it come across that way but that I had just been concerned. He wrote back and said, "Twas a blessing, Mom." :) I think at that point not only was his cup full but so was my saucer. Loved this post...and I love that you get to read to the kiddos before they are off to school each morning. What a blessing.
ReplyDelete