The Lessons I learn : Patience is a virtue
I am NOT patient. Not very often that is. Today God taught me a lesson, and not in the usual trying way. I see it as a lesson in love...
So, I was grocery shopping in the vegetable section when two dirty, messy, beautiful little girls a bit younger than my Emi walked past me. They were speaking dialect, and walking up and down the fruit aisles. They stopped by the lemons and began to fill two small bags. A couple of the round, green fruit tumbled down the sloping pile and rolled across the floor to my feet. My heart cried out... "buy them SOMETHING!" So I approached the two, noticing the looks on the faces of other clients as they watched this odd interaction. It's not everyday you see a "gringa" and beggar children chatting in the middle of the fruits and vegetables seccion of Chedraui.
I asked them if I could buy them some mangoes, and they smiled shyly and nodded. I picked out 5 of the juiciest mangos. It didn't seem enough, though. "How about chocolate milk?" "Do you like chocolate milk?" They looked at each other and spoke something I couldn't understand. I then realised that they didn't know what chocolate milk was, so I offered them juice instead. The smiles came back to their faces and we walked to the fruit isle. I asked them how many, and one of them said 5. '"For mama and hermanito." When I turned around the other girl had disappeared. "Where is your sister?" The remainig girl nervously said "comida". Soon the sister was back at our side. She had a take out box of chicken wings, a kilo of tortillas, and a liter soda in her arms. I then realised that they had been sent not only to buy lemons, but to purchase their meal for the day. Chicken wings, tortillas and soda.
We checked out quickly, I paid for their original purchases also. I shook their hands and wished them a good day. "God bless you!"I said, and they were off. I held back tears all the way back to my shopping cart that was still waiting for me next to the mangos. It felt good, but soo futile with all the need we see everyday.
This is where the patience came in: I finished my selections, met up with the kids and Jorge who were off in other sections of the store, and headed to the front of the store. We used a different register than the one I had used earlier, and proceeded to check out. After unloading two weeks worth of groceries, and getting them bagged, Jorge handed the checker our bank card BUT the card swiper thingy wouldn't work. Denied, DENIED, DENIED it kept saying. That's bad enough, but with each swipe there was a loud BEEEEEP anouncing our supposed lack of funds to all within earshot.
I am quite suprised with my reaction here. I am NOT well known for my calmness in situations as these. There are usually huffs and puffs and at times unkind words that escape my lips... but this time I calmly walked over to a peanut vendor, bought some sugar coated peanuts (quite yummy by the way) and offered some to the senior citizen in charge of bagging the groceries, and to the checker who were now waiting while Jorge went to the ATM to get money. For what seemed like AGES we stood eating peanuts until my hubby appeared with the dough.
We finally paid for our purchases, thanked the checker and the grocery bagger and headed for the exit. Half way to the door, one of the other baggers stopped me. "Mam," he said. "I saw what you did for those little girls, and I wanted to congratulate you for your human compassion." And he didn't stop there... "I also saw your reaction right now and can tell you have a heart of love." This is where I got REAL TEARY. "Thank you for your example and God bless you!" he said! The only thing I could musster to say was a very squeeky "Gracias"and a big teary smile.
The lesson in patience you ask? If I had reacted as my usual inpacient, bad attitude self, this man who had been watching me would have said, "What good did it do for her to show charity on those two non suspecting girls, and then be horrible to the poor checker girl and grocery bagger." My early good deed would have been canceled out by my latter bad attitude.
I truly believe the Spirit moved me to these actions so that I could realise the importance of being consistent in our attitutdes. God showed me the importance of patience in a beautiful, graceous way! Thank you God for your lessons of love!!!!!
So, I was grocery shopping in the vegetable section when two dirty, messy, beautiful little girls a bit younger than my Emi walked past me. They were speaking dialect, and walking up and down the fruit aisles. They stopped by the lemons and began to fill two small bags. A couple of the round, green fruit tumbled down the sloping pile and rolled across the floor to my feet. My heart cried out... "buy them SOMETHING!" So I approached the two, noticing the looks on the faces of other clients as they watched this odd interaction. It's not everyday you see a "gringa" and beggar children chatting in the middle of the fruits and vegetables seccion of Chedraui.
I asked them if I could buy them some mangoes, and they smiled shyly and nodded. I picked out 5 of the juiciest mangos. It didn't seem enough, though. "How about chocolate milk?" "Do you like chocolate milk?" They looked at each other and spoke something I couldn't understand. I then realised that they didn't know what chocolate milk was, so I offered them juice instead. The smiles came back to their faces and we walked to the fruit isle. I asked them how many, and one of them said 5. '"For mama and hermanito." When I turned around the other girl had disappeared. "Where is your sister?" The remainig girl nervously said "comida". Soon the sister was back at our side. She had a take out box of chicken wings, a kilo of tortillas, and a liter soda in her arms. I then realised that they had been sent not only to buy lemons, but to purchase their meal for the day. Chicken wings, tortillas and soda.
We checked out quickly, I paid for their original purchases also. I shook their hands and wished them a good day. "God bless you!"I said, and they were off. I held back tears all the way back to my shopping cart that was still waiting for me next to the mangos. It felt good, but soo futile with all the need we see everyday.
This is where the patience came in: I finished my selections, met up with the kids and Jorge who were off in other sections of the store, and headed to the front of the store. We used a different register than the one I had used earlier, and proceeded to check out. After unloading two weeks worth of groceries, and getting them bagged, Jorge handed the checker our bank card BUT the card swiper thingy wouldn't work. Denied, DENIED, DENIED it kept saying. That's bad enough, but with each swipe there was a loud BEEEEEP anouncing our supposed lack of funds to all within earshot.
I am quite suprised with my reaction here. I am NOT well known for my calmness in situations as these. There are usually huffs and puffs and at times unkind words that escape my lips... but this time I calmly walked over to a peanut vendor, bought some sugar coated peanuts (quite yummy by the way) and offered some to the senior citizen in charge of bagging the groceries, and to the checker who were now waiting while Jorge went to the ATM to get money. For what seemed like AGES we stood eating peanuts until my hubby appeared with the dough.
We finally paid for our purchases, thanked the checker and the grocery bagger and headed for the exit. Half way to the door, one of the other baggers stopped me. "Mam," he said. "I saw what you did for those little girls, and I wanted to congratulate you for your human compassion." And he didn't stop there... "I also saw your reaction right now and can tell you have a heart of love." This is where I got REAL TEARY. "Thank you for your example and God bless you!" he said! The only thing I could musster to say was a very squeeky "Gracias"and a big teary smile.
The lesson in patience you ask? If I had reacted as my usual inpacient, bad attitude self, this man who had been watching me would have said, "What good did it do for her to show charity on those two non suspecting girls, and then be horrible to the poor checker girl and grocery bagger." My early good deed would have been canceled out by my latter bad attitude.
I truly believe the Spirit moved me to these actions so that I could realise the importance of being consistent in our attitutdes. God showed me the importance of patience in a beautiful, graceous way! Thank you God for your lessons of love!!!!!
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