My most favorite person in the world, my Uncle Aubrey, loves to go to Wal-Mart and sit on the benches and just watch people. A lot of the "old men" in town do this to pass the time. They sit and talk and while, and sometimes chat with you on your way out the door. Uncle Aubrey says he would much rather just sit and watch than talk. I think I would, too.
This brings me to my thoughts, have you noticed how unpleasant people's faces are today? Have you noticed that people rarely smile, and if they do, it is just long enough to get past you and then it is back to the frown or look of discontentment. Some don't even give you the complimentary exercise of the facial muscle that makes the corner of the lips point upward. Right about now you should be saying, "Yeah, she's right. Nobody smiles anymore." I mean, cashiers rarely smile even while forced to recite a greeting. And if you have ever sat in a choir or have been in front of a congregation, you know for sure they don't smile.
Next thought, do YOU smile enough? Do you do your part? More importantly, do you smile enough at home? Do you smile at your kids, at your husband, wife? I do not. I have to make conscience effort to smile. I am not one of those people who just naturally smile. Some people are. I am not.
"I will praise, You, O Lord, with my whole heart. I will tell of all Your marvelous works. I will be glad and rejoice in You. I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High." Psalm 9:1-2
My daddy raised me in beauty pageants and he always had someone telling me something new. I remember one lady telling me "how to smile." She said, "Now, Melissa. Smiling is not just about smiling with your lips. You have to look at the judges and smile with your eyes." I took that as smile like you mean it. Smile with intent. Show interest.
There are enough grumpy faces in this world. For my children and my husband, I need to do better at home. I need to look and them and "smile with my eyes." They need to look at me and see something pleasant instead of the drill sergeant that I really am. Now don't get me wrong. I am certainly not going to try to be one of those moms who are smiling and gently saying, "Now Cooper. You need to get out of the road because an 18-wheeler is coming to plow you down." No. I believe in yelling! I also believe in gentleness, too, though.
As a parent, I have many more opportunities to smile at my children than I do to frown at them. What's that number? It takes ten positive comments to undo one negative comment. I think they keep changing the number. Anyway, I should be able to smile at Cooper when he is being a boy and bouncing around with energy I wish I had. I should be able to smile a Marli when she is being her and having some innocent "ah ha" instead of rolling my eyes. I should be able to smile at Keith when he walks in the door from work instead of thinking to myself, "here goes our routine." I need to re-train my thoughts in the positive. Could your thoughts use a little training and your frown use a little redirection? Man, I have a ton of work to do.
"Serve the Lord with gladness. Come before His presence with singing. Know that the Lord, He is God." Psalm 100:2
This may seem trivial, but I think it is noteworthy. Smiling is such a simple thing that I can do for my family. I can let myself get so caught up on the million things happening in my life's background that I forget to find pleasure in what God has put right before me. Sometimes I might just have to "fake it til I make it" but at least my facial muscles will get exercise, right?
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