It's Monday again....  basically the only time I get to sit and think. And then sometimes on that day I just sits too.  Now it is bugging me where that phrase comes from. I do believe it is the talkative old lady who took Anne (with an E) somewhere one time.  "Sometimes I sits and thinks and sometimes I just sits".  I have this crazy ailment or whatever you want to call it, that at any given time a certain word will just bring something else to mind. Most of the time it is a song. I have been told I have a song for every word or phrase.....  It creates many laughs at my work establishment. My one employee and I are known to burst forth into song over any comment.  :}

   But, that is not really what is on my mind today. Yesterday we were Encouraged to Encourage....   There is just a lot of awful stuff in this world and we all have junk we are dealing with and for the most part stress levels are higher then ever.  Depression and that "navy blue" feeling isn't uncommon in a lot of lives. So it seems to be thee perfect time to be an Encourager.  It was brought out that being an encourager is not normally an easy job. How many times have you said something positive to someone and it was shot down with negative or disbelief and you try again and once again it is met with negative.  It's easy to walk away and just give up on saying anything nice.

   I wouldn't say this is something that comes naturally for me. I think for some people it is more of a natural thing or maybe they have practiced it enough in their life and it has become easier for them. But for me I sort of have to purposefully make an effort to encourage. Many times it is just making an effort to say nice things that I am thinking.  Why it is harder to say the nice things I think then some things that are better off left unsaid, I don't know... except that the old man part of me likes to rule.

   So here is my encouragement for the day:  Say something nice to someone today. Smile at the grumpy old man you see. Tell your kids something you love about them. (instead of "put your lunchbox AWAY, the minute they get in the door :)) Tell your husband thank-you for working so hard. Tell the lady at the drive through that God loves Her. Let your kids teachers know how thankful you are that they are there for them each day.

   The list could go on and on. It's sort of fun to come up with something out of the box to do for someone else. But, it does take effort. So go for it!