Lisa notes

Know What to Expect

She is following me.

I take a right into my bedroom. She does, too. I walk into my bathroom. She toddles behind me.

I’m not surprised. When her parents are here, she’s all about holding on to mom and dad.

But they aren’t here this weekend. And when she stays with us, I’m her person. I like that. I’ve come to expect it.

I open the top drawer in my bathroom and pull out the toothpaste. As I brush my teeth, she watches me. But only for a few seconds.

She has other plans.

Unbeknownst to Me

She pulls on the bottom drawer in the bathroom, the one she can reach. It opens easily for her. I keep extras there: emery boards, dental floss, bobby pins.

But what she pulls out is not what I keep there.

Her hands go directly for the two items that don’t belong. A plastic white puzzle piece and a plastic blue puzzle piece.

She grabs them from the drawer, turns around, and walks out. She got what she came for.

I’m left alone to laugh and laugh. She had placed those puzzles pieces there another day, unbeknownst to me.

But she hadn’t forgotten she’d put them there. She remembered.

She has surprised me.

Be Surprised

She’ll continue to surprise me.

If she can surprise me at sixteen-months-old, when I think my youngest granddaughter is predictable, how much more will she surprise me at ten years old? At seventeen? At twenty-four, if I’m still around, Lord willing?

Everyone contains surprises. Just when we think we have someone figured out, they’ll do something unexpected.

And we’ll be surprised.

I love being delighted by God’s surprises. He doles them out when I least expect them. His surprises are good ones, only the best from God. Sometimes they come through coincidences or through nature or through a toddling little grandchild.

And sometimes he even lets us surprise ourselves.

I want to remain open for surprises. 

How will God surprise me today?

How often are you caught by surprise? When’s the last time you surprised yourself? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Related Reading:

• I Knew It All Along! 
• Think It’ll Never Happen to You?
• When We Avoid People Who Are Different

sharing with Maryleigh

Sometimes we just don’t know what to say.

Situations may call for words. We want to give them. We want to speak love.

But we’re empty.

Here are six mantras I learned from Thich Nhat Hanh that we can repeat to others so they’ll know we love them.

1. “I am here for you.”

Just showing up is often the bulk of the work. Your presence is a marvelous present.

But tag the gift of your presence by saying the words “I am here for you.” It imprints upon others that you really do care.

2. “I know you are there, and I am very happy.”

But what about when someone shows up for you? That often leaves us at a loss for words, too. How can you let them know how much it means to you that they showed up?

Keep it simple. Tell others you see them and how it makes you feel. That’s another way to show love.

3. “I know you suffer, and that is why I am here for you.”

When you notice a friend is in pain, say so.

It’s an extra layer of love on top of the first mantra. Not only are you here for them, but you see their hurt. Acknowledging the pain of others can go a long way in helping heal it.

4. “I suffer, please help.”

This one may be the hardest to say. And even harder if the person you’re talking to is the one causing your suffering.

Your pride may prompt you to say the opposite—“I’m totally fine; I don’t need your help.” But acknowledging that you need help often prompts others to become the help you need. It’s an exchange of love.

5. “This is a happy moment.”

When you experience victories, these words come easily.

But when your friend experiences victories, celebrate with them, too, as an act of love. Even in ordinary moments, find reasons to be grateful for the here and now, together.

6. “You are partly right.”

When you are praised, say this to remind yourself not to take the compliment too seriously (maybe out loud, maybe silently).

Likewise, also say this when you are criticized (at least say it internally). By accepting your common humanity, you won’t become “a victim of a prideful illusion” nor will you condemn yourself for a weakness.

When we improve our communication, we improve our relationships. Using our intention to listen deeply and using our words to love profoundly, we understand more and are understood more, one person at a time.

Which saying can you use today? Which one would you like to hear? Please share in the comments.

updated from the archives

sharing with Grace & Truth,
Joanne, Patsy, Jeanne, Jen