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| My Grandma Mamie was a sunshine spreader! |
Small towns are supposed to be friendly, but they will only be friendly if we are. For that matter, my dad lives in Kansas City. He grew up in a very small town in Northeast Missouri. He is small town friendly in his neighborhood! Like father like daughter, I have a personal friendliness campaign. You can, too, no matter where you live.
Smile, open the door, offer to help others, talk to people—cashiers, people in line, other shoppers, receptionists, the librarian, the man who makes your sandwich, the gas station attendant, police officers, the postman—everyone!
Everyone needs a friendly word, or a smile, or even a prayer.
Don't be afraid to ask someone if you can pray with him or her, then do it right then if possible! It's a wonderful encouragement, and prayer works!
This is even more important than ever in 2020! No matter where we live, we need to make sure that the "social distancing" doesn't end up making us unfriendly and distant from each other in the long term.
God bless you! Have a wonderful week! Remember to share the love of Jesus with others!
Got to get busy now!
Keep on the Sunny Side!
Laura
Blessed to Be a Blessing
Psalm 118
I will live and not die and declare the works of the LORD in the land of the living.
Shared at Over the Moon
Shared at Over the Moon
Yesterday at Krogers I helped a man shaking very badly from Parkinsons double bag his groceries. He thanked me and said "God bless you." And I really did feel blessed all day from this small encounter. It blessed me so much more than it blessed him.
ReplyDeleteIt's so true Angela! I love the feeling of giving and serving. It's a high— The Most High God. ~smile~
ReplyDeleteBe blessed my dear!
Laura
Your grandma Mamie has a lovely smile. We moved up here to NY to a very small town from Alabama 3 yrs ago and found that ppl. here are a lot more friendly here then there. Strange, yes...ppl. here sure like to talk and they sure want to know how you're doing etc. Just some slight culture shocks, but its all good. You hear so much about the southern hospitality, but rarely the northern... anyways---great post Laura---Have a beautiful week, my friend.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the friendly reminder! :) I just wanted you to know I'm praying for you/family. I know you wrote that you closed the resteraunt. I hope financially things are okay four family. Have a blessed day and thank you for this blog!
ReplyDeleteSo wonderful that you had a precious grandmother with such a beautiful smile that spread joy everywhere! I agree that we can spread joy wherever we go, and be a blessing in a small way whoever we meet. Great post Laura, have a beautiful blessed day!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great reminder! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteSuch a blessing to have come here to find your precious Grandma's smiling face looking at me! I am of the strong belief that sunshine is the best medicine along with laughter. Thanks for spreading some here!
ReplyDeleteCaring through Christ, ~ linda
Hello Laura,
ReplyDeleteI have lived in my current home for 20 years, too. I grew up moving many times; I remember at least 13 different placed I have lived during my first 18 years, from Washington state to Wisconsin, from Missouri to California.
I thought it was funny in your post about Ma being married to a difficult man who would not stay put. I loved moving, always a new adventure. The funny thing is that, although my husband and I have moved three times since having children, my children have never lived more than 30 miles from the place that they were born.
My favorite place in all those growing up years was a small town: Strum, Wisconsin - population 1000.
I like your encouragement to go out and be the light of the world.
♥Hope
Good for you, she looks a Dear.
ReplyDeleteI so agree to that. May you be blessed more so you can bless more people. :)
ReplyDeleteYour grandmother looked like a precious soul! I am sure you learned much from her. :) I am praying for you, dear friend. God bless you abundantly!
ReplyDeleteAmen Laura! Like you grandma, we need to spread kindness when we can. That is part of being a Christian. We should be different than the norm and love like Jesus loves. Like you said, we never know the difference it may make in someone's day or life. This is my first visit to your site. I came over from Thankful Thursdays. I love what you do here and may God bless you and yours in 2016!
ReplyDeleteSpread a little sunshine. I love it... What a wonderful thing... Every small deed of kindness showed, makes us that much happier. Not only did we help the other person, but it helped us too.
ReplyDeleteGod is awesome...
Praying for you and family, each day..
Good word.
ReplyDeleteThank you Horace and Amy!
ReplyDeleteHello friend Linda,
ReplyDeleteGrandma is smiling more than ever now. She moved in with Jesus last April. It's funny. I don't really think of NY having any small towns. ~smile~ Yours makes ours look big! We've got around 12,000, which to me was a small town when we moved here. ~grin~
I had a few culture shocks moving here, too. I'm so glad you've found a good friendly place to live, Linda.
P.S. My stolen money was returned! Praise God! Thank you for praying.
Laura
Blessed to be a Blessing
We moved from the Atlanta area to a tiny town of 150 people in Montana. Talk about a culture shock! While many of the people here can be friendly they can be down right rude. I miss the friendliness of the south! This is a great reminder on spreading the love of Jesus. Thank you for linking up with Thankful Thursdays.
ReplyDeleteMay God bring you good friends and a good church, Lori!
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Laura
Thank you Cheryl!
ReplyDeleteI received a refund from the company of all the charges to my account! Praise God! Thank you so much for your encouragement and your prayers.
Be blessed my friend!
Laura
Oh Linda, it sounds like a wonderful place to live! Another reader wrote to me and said she moved from the south to a tiny town in Montana. I think we get ideas about what other places are like from movies and t.v. a lot. As far as I knew, NY was one big city and suburb for the most part. I happily stand corrected.
ReplyDeleteBe blessed!
Laura
You are so right Judy. Thank you for praying. We do need it right now. God will sustain us. May God bless you with everything you need and some of your deep desires as well In Jesus' Name.
ReplyDeleteLaura
She was. She's moved to Heaven now where she's keeping others smiling.
ReplyDeleteBlessings to you Annie!
Laura
Why thank you Spicing Up, will you please send me a cup of snow? I'm coming over to visit your blog and look more closely at your beautiful snow. I'm in SW Missouri. I'm trying to be content with all my little snowman decorations, but I miss the snow I remember as a child when I lived farther north.
ReplyDeleteBe blessed!
Laura
Hi Hope,
ReplyDeleteWe moved here for 6 months, it's been 6 years!
Oh well....
Blessings,
Laura
Thank you Bethany.
ReplyDeleteWe live in a town of 110,000, but our little section of town retains a village-like atmosphere. Everyone smiles, stops and talks to one another about the weather as we walk along the beach, looks out for one another ...
ReplyDeleteI attribute it to the fact that we are beach lovers and spend so much time outdoors. We are surrounded by others who feel the same way.
thanks for Sharing Your Cup!
It sounds like a lovely place to live Art and Sand!
ReplyDeleteI couldn't agree more. I try to do these things. The other day I was in the store and I watched how people will not even look at you or are all consumed with their own life. I am guilty at times but I try to always be attentive to those around. You never know when they need a smile.
ReplyDeleteWhen we went on our missions trip to a primitive poor island one thing that amazed me was the friendliness of the people. EVERY SINGLE...I mean literally EVERY person you passed not matter age, gender, what they were doing, would say "morning" or "evening" to you when you passed them in walking. They could have a bucket of water on their head, or babies hanging every direction with food strapped to their backs in 100 degree weather walking distances we would pass out walking with all that and they would ALWAYS greet you in passing with a smile and either a "morning" or "evening". It is just their way. They are known to be the most friendlies island in the Pacific yet the most poor. Amazing.
I learned a lot from that.
Isn't that just amazing, Mrs. Chrissy?
ReplyDeleteI wonder if folks are just wrapped in their own thoughts and problems or they just don't care anymore?
Let's be the Mayberry we want to see!
~grin~
Have a good weekend!
Laura
Blessings to you from our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
Laura Lane
Harvest Lane Cottage
What a lovely reminder, Laura! Thank you for sharing :) I've always thought of all the descriptions people speak of my children (they're smart, funny, pretty, etc), the one I am most humbled and encouraged by is when someone says they are kind. My goal is to raise kind people who love others! I'm in south central Missouri so I'm guessing about 2 hours from you. Lived here my entire life and probably won't leave! lol
ReplyDeleteHi Jenny, I love living in Missouri. I expect I shall stay the rest of my life. I would like to travel a bit though. Blessings neighbor!Laura
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