A Grocery Store Story...but it's not about my kids.

I was in line at the grocery store, unloading my stuff from the cart. I felt very looked at and talked about by a couple of guys in the line beside me. It was weird and uncomfortable and I was telling myself to not sweat and ignore them. I'm so weird. I don't know why I always decide that men are bad. Well...actually I do know why, but anyway...

I was working hard at my ignoring until this guy poked his head where I couldn't avoid it. He had a huge smile and asked, "Are you a Ramey girl?" Apparently, he was excited that he had found one. I was happy to assure him that I was indeed a Ramey girl, still not recognizing him. Then he told me who he was (a friend from our childhood). I love his Mom. She paints (walls) and talks about Jesus.

He had an elderly man with him that he was helping get his groceries (So those were the two guys I was sweating about). We had a nice chat and he was very sweet. But what really caught me was as he was leaving he spoke to the employees by name, hugged the manager, and then spoke to a lady coming into the store as they were leaving. I don't know what magic words he spoke, but that frowning, tired looking lady smiled the rest of the way into the grocery store after he patted her arm and said goodbye.

Not to be blasphemous, but I thought, "Whoa, it's like Jesus just came through here." Not that he is Jesus, but that he has Jesus, and was Christ to those people.

It was sweet and convicting. Because I often get so wrapped up in my struggle with kids, that I feel my pain is greater than the produce man's pain and that I shouldn't take time to love him.

And actually, my grocery store people are great. They call me by name and are patient with my girls, and remember what Riley looked like when she was a baby. I feel like at almost 30 I'm finally maybe growing up and out of my retardedness.

Oprah always says 50 is the best because that's when you start to know who you are. I'd like to think I'm 20 years ahead of Oprah. :)

I think Oprah's 50 is my 29 1/2. I'm just realizing who I am in Christ. Why is it taking me so long? I'm just realizing I wasn't the best at knowing how to love people 8 years ago when I first started going to that grocery store, and I guess I'm still learning.

And by the way, Nathan and I celebrate 8 years next week. Whooooa. I have a 7-year-old. Whoooooa. My baby runs and talks and jumps on the trampoline. Oh my.