I think I have a love/dislike relationship with Valentines day. I love how I get a chance to encourage people, I love how colorful it is and I love all the corny things associated with Valentines day. The heart shaped cookies, the valentines and the heart shirts. What I dislike about it is how the holiday can discourage people and I am not untouched by the yearly discouragement. I decided that I wanted to show Judah how to love someone unconditionally on Valentines day. We brought a handful of preemie hats that I crochet to the Fairfax NICU to give to the babies. I also baked some blueberry muffins for the nurses and put these cute heart shaped toppers on top and packed them all in a container with heart stickers all over it. I thought they would for sure smile when they see the goodies.
On the way to the hospital and even while we were taking the elevator to the NICU floor Judah kept saying over and over again "hats for the babies". I think he is starting to finally understand that we were going to drop off some hats for the babies. When I handed the hats and muffins to the receptionist at the NICU floor she took out the hats and with out smiling looked at me and said "babies really wear these things". My heart was crushed and it took every fiber of my being to just not cry in front of her and my sweet son singing "hats for babies!". Right at that moment one of the doctors walked out and saw the hats and Judah and started telling my son how kind he is for dropping off the hats for babies. Judah was smiling so big and I thought "Jess your trying to show your son how to love unconditionally, meaning if someone is not responding the way I hope they would respond that doesn't mean that I don't continue to love them". The grumpy receptionist was teaching my heart how to love unconditionally.
Today as we stopped by Target to check out the after Valentines day sales I grabbed a box of cute cookies for our post office friends.
Our post office friends are always excited to get random treats and they even shared a cookie with Judah.
Who have you encouraged this week? Has your encouragement taught your heart something that you didn't expect it to?
What a great way to show love and encouragement! While I understand the lesson learned, I also don't understand how someone could not smile at those adorable hats or the adorable little boy handing over the hats!
ReplyDeleteThose hats are soooo sweet, as well as your heart, thanks so much for encouraging to encourage!;) I need it!
ReplyDeleteHe is just too sweet!
ReplyDeleteSheree
The Hartungs Blog
thehartungs.blogspot.ca
I love Valentine's Day and it always bothers me to read all the negative things people have to say every year.
ReplyDeleteYou do not have to be in a relationship to show love or dip into the fun {and yes, corny} things that surround the 14th...
And I think you proved that here with your adorable hats!
Oh, such so sweet! I so love how encouragement and love being showed here! Great lessons learned and thanks for that!
ReplyDeleteI want to start loving people more also! I really want to bring the lady at the post office a gift, because I see her almost every week from mailing things for my etsy shop! I also want to tip my mail carrier, because he always looks so sad when dropping my mail off.
ReplyDeleteOh you are my kind of Mom! I'm a serious supporter of unconditional love and it warmed my heart to hear of your kindness, then how you turned the situation around into a lesson, only be be redeemed right there and then.
ReplyDeleteYour son is a very lucky boy! My latest, "loving on my community" thing is helping old ladies during the day to either bag their groceries or load their cars. You'd be surprised by how many little old ladies hit the grocery store and buy things that weigh more than they do!
Lovely blog!
Your hats are adorable, and I'm sure those NICU parents are thrilled with them. Ignore that grumpy lady!
ReplyDeleteHi Jess! Thank you so much for your blog! I had been feeling really discouraged today and just reading your post made my heart melt. Sometimes it hurts when you pour your heart into something and feel like your work goes undervalued, but your reflection on unconditional love was such a good and needed reminder. In a time when I've been feeling under-appreciated, thank you for helping me to see that I try to encourage the people in my life because I love them unconditionally and not because I need to feel rewarded or acknowledged. Thank you!
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