Tuesday, April 7, 2009

SPT- gift a family member


Lelly's SPT challenge for the month of april ...

"let me add that no money is to be spent on these gifts! let's focus on the gift of service, the gift of a smile, the gift of a repurposed or gently used item, the gift of a kind word. you know, those gifts that would be hard to wrap in a box with a pretty bow."

for tuesday, april 7: gift a family member
for tuesday, april 14: gift a friend
for tuesday, april 21: gift a neighbor, teacher, co-worker
for tuesday, april 28: gift a total stranger


Today was my day to gift my family with patience. It was work for me today to be patient.
I gave the gift of patience when it took me 55 minutes to do 3o minutes on the treadmill.
I gave the gift of patience when the electricity was unexpectedly out for a portion of the mid morning.
I gave the family a gift of clean laundry while I patiently taped the dryer door shut over and over again so that it would stay closed. (repairman can't come out until next wednesday)

I gave the gift of patience while kids helped me do laundry- (hmmm maybe that is why the dryer door won't stay shut?!)


I sat in this chair and gave the gift of patience multiple times today. I listened to children cry, and complain and fall apart and get better.

This gift was hard work for me today. It was hard. It took all I had to not give in and take away the gift. I might have started to take it away a couple of times ...oops. Jay helped me by urging me to get on my knees for a bit, he said it would help, it did.

Here are some other thoughts on this challenge ...

7 comments:

Sarah said...

That is a wonderful gift. If I only I had given it a little bit better today!

Amy said...

Patience IS a virtue, as I'm sure you know. Thank you for your example.

shara said...

That is a great gift to give, and to have. I love that picture of you!

Our dryer had the same problem (not staying shut)... happened from one too many times a frustrated teen closing it a bit too hard... Phil glued an old fridge magnet on it and it has been great ever since.

Unknown said...

i love how you've described your gift this week. this one is very easy for me to take away in a heartbeat. i will try to be a little more *patient* and recognize that it is a gift to my family when i can deliver it!

Courtney said...

This is one I definitely need to work on giving more of!!! Seriously hard! I had to laugh at your 55min to do 30min...same thing happened to me today..hee hee! Never a moment to ourselves as MOM!

Lene said...

Oh I have such a hard time giving this gift.

jenn said...

what a great gift! thanks for the encouragement you gave me to give this gift as well!