Calgon Take Me Away

Ever find yourself wishing that the old Calgon commercials were true, and a bath with Calgon would whisk you away to a place of peace. Calgon take me away! Wouldn't it be wonderful if it were that simple! But the truth is we don't live in a Calgon commercial and while soaking in a tub might for a few minutes help us forget the worries of the world, once our feet hit the bath mat reality is back. 

It seems that everyone these days are facing struggles of all kinds. Whether it is illness, death, finances, family discord, loneliness, or something as simple as an unexpected flat tire, the stresses we all face can leave us feeling frenzied and sometimes hopeless.  Personally, I have found myself hanging on by my fingertips more than once lately.  It would be nice to have a quick fix to life's stresses, like Calgon, but we know that isn't the case.  Calgon, won't pay the bills; it won't release someone from the grips of addiction; it can't bring back a lost loved one and it can't fix a flat tire. But there is something that make facing these stresses a little easier.  Encouragement.

So many times, as I hung on by my fingertips, pleading for someone to throw me a life line, some form of encouragement gave me the strength to hang on when I was losing my grip.  A phone call from a friend telling me they are thinking of me or praying for me; an unexpected note in the mail reminding me that I am strong and can get through this and even a smile from a stranger are all forms of encouragement. Proverbs 12:25 tells us "An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up." You don't know how true that is until you are lost in the midst of your anxiety and that kind word shows up.

While encouragement will not take away the stresses we face, it does give us the willingness to hang in there when we think we can't hang on any longer.  Kind words are free and smiling at someone is painless, but the results are rich.  Imagine for a moment that the random person you pass in the grocery store is having the worst day of their life. They have just left their home where the phone is ringing off the hook with bill collectors; their hot water heater went up and they still have to buy food to feed their family and they've just about reached the end of their rope.  You can't see this because they aren't wearing a sign around their neck, but you still make eye contact and smile at them. Suddenly, for a moment, their day is brighter and a smile is brought back to their face, if even for a moment. 

We don't always know what is going on in peoples lives, whether friends or strangers, but regardless encouragement can do wonders for the spirit. If today, someone you know comes to mind, let them know that you are thinking of them- send a text, an email or make a phone call.  If today you pass a stranger, don't look away, smile at them and offer a good morning or afternoon. It doesn't sound like much but it can go a long way to brightening someones day. A smile $0;  a kind word $0; the gift of encouragement priceless.

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Until next time, hang in there you can do it!
God Bless,
Cat