Kindness Party

I love a good party.  

Better yet, I love to throw a good party. I love everything about it.  

The planning, the decorations, the food, the company.  You name it I love it.  I just hosted a baby shower for my sister- in- law.  I had 20 guests arrive in my home of which the majority I have never met.  I planned and prepped for a long time prior.  In the midst of this I found myself getting overwhelmed with stress.  I did not realize it at the time but I sure did feel the stress when I was through. 

I know this because of the toll it took on my family. The constant,"Don’t touch that” or “Not now I don’t have time.” If you are a wife and mother you know what I am talking about. The annoyed deep sighs and eye rolling that seem to creep out of us. I am ashamed to admit that I lost my cool a couple of times with my family.

 After all of my guests had left, I felt a sadness develop in me which made me ask the question, “Why do we go out of our way to be kind to people we have never met, but sometimes have a hard time speaking words of kindness to those that are closest to us?”  Then I imagined God losing his patience with me, and tears literally formed in my eyes.  

"Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ, God forgave you." Ephesians 4:32

As wives and mothers, we stumble and trip along our journey.  We also thrive and flourish in the most beautiful ways.  It is the kindness we experience from our Heavenly Father that allows us to grow from our mistakes. God has blessed us with families that allow us to make mistakes.  Our families know us.   I mean truly know us.  They know the good in us, and all the bad in us.  And they love us anyways. They allow us to pick ourselves up and brush ourselves off.  And for this I thank God every day.

My prayer from here on out is Lord, your Word says that “kind words are like honey- sweet to the soul and healthy for the body" (Proverbs 16:24).  “Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips” (Psalm 141:3).  And Lord, please help me to remember this as we have several birthday parties approaching…wink, wink.
Kindly, 

Kelly Ross

P.S. - Thank you so much for playing along on the "motherload" of giveaway contest. And mostly importantly sharing the Cravings community with others. We have a winner! Drum roll please....

Cheryl Sexton! Yea for Cheryl. She is super super excited. I hope you will all still consider knocking on the door of the various sponsors.