Everyone should give whatever they have decided in their heart. They shouldn’t give with hesitation or because of pressure. God loves a cheerful giver.
I’m not one of those who likes the stay-at-home orders we are living under. I know it is necessary for all kinds of reasons, and I do…most of the time. But sometimes a girl has just got to get out and go sit in the Starbucks line. When we moved to town, I was delighted that a new Starbucks opened right across the street from us. (Being a townie, almost everything is right across the street now.) But this one is a drive-through so that throughout the shutdown, I have been able to get a change of scenery and an iced vanilla latte whenever the walls start closing in.
Sometimes the line is long and winds its way through the parking lot and other times, I can drive right up. You know it’s bad when the barista knows you by name. Kaleigh had always gone out of her way to speak to me when the cafe was open. Now with the cafe closed, she is not always at the window but often waves and calls out my name.
One day when I pulled up to hand over my phone to pay, the barista informed me that the car ahead of me had paid for my drink. But uh, uh, uh…wait! The car had already pulled away and there was no way to thank her. That little act of kindness made the rest of my day. So, the next time I drove up to pay, I asked her to add the charge for the car behind me. Giving is often easier for me than receiving so I drove off with a smile on my face, hoping the same for the other driver.
Recently, I asked Kayleigh how it was going as I waited for my food. She leaned out of the window to tell me that it had been a hard day. With all the new rules, customers were grouchy and I could read in her eyes, that she was weary. As I thought about it overnight, I prayed for a way to let her know she was appreciated. I couldn’t give her food. A card maybe? No, flowers!
I picked up a small bouquet from the local grocery store and got in line and was happy to see that she was at the window. As she handed me my coffee, I handed her the flowers. The surprise on her face, was all that I needed. My prayer was that the whole crew would get a lift in their spirits as they glanced at the flowers throughout the day.
We don’t know how long this disruption of our routine will last. And I have a feeling that we will have a “new” normal to contend with. Change is never easy but I pray that we will continue to be creative in our connection with the people around us. A smile goes a long way.