No Act of Kindness is Ever Wasted

How beautiful a day can be when kindness touches it. ❤️

A few weeks ago I was at the beach for a few days by myself until the rest of my family could get off work to come join me over the weekend. 

One evening, I ate dinner at one of my favorite restaurants, Hoskins, and was waiting in line for a table for one. There was a family of 9 in front of me. A Mimi and Papa, their two children, their son-in-law, and their 4 grandchildren. We began a conversation and talked for about 45 minutes while we waited. They were from Easley, SC and Clemson Tiger fans. Such a great family! 

I was blown away when they asked me to join them for dinner. They had 5 adults and 4 children and they were extending me an invitation to join them for dinner. Wow! What a kind gesture! Of course, I did not want to impose on their family time so I declined and thanked them for their generosity. 

Their name was called and they went and sat down at their table. No more than 2 minutes passed and one member of their party walked back outside to find me to tell me that they had an extra seat to please come and join them. I accepted their oh so generous offer. We had great food and great conversation! 

The Tucker and Epting families were such a blessing to me that evening. What an awesome Christian family. 

No act of kindness is ever wasted. ❤️

🎉Celebrating Forty Six Years 🎉

Today is my birthday. 

Birthdays have a way of prompting retrospection, don’t they? At least for me. I often find myself reflective around birthdays – take time to consider where I’ve been, where I’m going…just think.

Birthdays are just an arbitrary milestone. Just one of the ways we can measure our lives. But there are so many other ways too.

What if we measured our lives by our own personal milestones, rather than the number of years that have passed? We might be happier if we paid more attention to the things we’re doing, rather than the age we are when we do them.

Today I turn 46 years old. Unlike a lot of people out there, I am actually excited about getting older, even though I joke about it a lot. Every year that passes the freer I feel from all of the things that used to keep me up at night: Am I cool enough? Do people like me? Of course, I still worry about those things a little bit, but only a little. I don’t even worry so much about my skin sagging or the more frequent aches and pains. I’ve finally given up on looking 30 and accepted that I’m 46 and strive to be my best at this age. I’m learning we are all capable of far more than the limitations set upon us by others. 

The last year of my life has been different from previous ones.  I don’t know where it went!  It went by so fast because I was so busy.  I think that’s why today makes me think because I realize how fast things went by that I wonder what I missed. Seriously, sometimes we go through life at a crazy pace we miss a lot.  I know I did a lot, but I also wonder what opportunities I missed. Did I miss a chance to help someone around me?  Did I miss a chance to say I love you to a loved one? Did I miss something that could have changed my life or someone else’s around me? 

The need to be completely selfless in some aspects of my life caused me to be completely selfish in others. One of my goals for the coming year is to find a better way to balance the two. 

The greatest lesson I lived this year, was that I have a long way to go to becoming the wife, mother, and friend that I am capable of being. I will always hold on to a handful of struggles but I know my potential is great. 

So here’s to the blessings and knowledge that came with the passing of another year at life, and to all the possibilities that lie ahead. I lived this past year, through and through (the best parts and the worst) and I hope will all my heart for the opportunity to do it again. 

One of my favorite cards has the quote, “Birthdays are good for you. Statistics show that the people who have the most, live the longest.” What a great reminder to celebrate whatever we can, whenever we can, and to take absolutely nothing for granted. Nothing except, maybe, that the longer we live, the more we will age. That everyday miracle seems worth celebrating. 🎉✨🎉✨

Blessings,

Dalinda 

Don't Be The Same. Be Better

So Jody and I are doing a marriage class at our church. And no, our marriage is not in trouble. We just want to make it better. No relationship is protected from breaking down without intentional effort to build it up. Jody and I have been married for 19 years and have had our ups and downs just as other married couples do. No marriage is perfect. We are all broken...every single one of us. I wanted to share a statement I read in our lesson for this week that I think is so very true of our perception of marriage in our world today. "We all want the ideal, end up getting an ordeal, and because our idea of love is distorted, start looking for a new deal. Maybe what we need, however, is not a new deal, but a new vision - a new understanding of what real love is." Emotions alone will not last. We need and were intended to experience and enjoy something more. Much more. God deserves first place in our marriages....and we deserve the experience of putting Him there. ❤️✞❤️

Blessings,
Dalinda

Stand Out

When I take Drew to school in the mornings, sometimes we see this older gentleman walking down the sidewalk with his cane. He doesn't stand out because of his cane. He stands out because he always has a huge smile on his face as he raises his hand high in the air and waves at people driving by. You can read his lips say, "Good morning!" This always brightens my day and I'm sure others as well. My point is, whether you're pushing a stroller, a grocery cart, or an aluminum walker--your life counts. It counts in a mighty way. Go make a difference in our hurting world. Have a blessed day! ✞ 

Celebrating Nineteen Years With My Best Friend

Yesterday, Jody and I celebrated nineteen years of marriage (love and hard work). 

Thanks to Jody, I'm a little more fun, a little more vibrant, a little more youthful, and a little less worrisome. 

He makes me smile when I'm feeling down and manages to make me laugh out loud even as I'm mad. He reminds me life doesn't have to be so serious and teaches me how to be more spontaneous and positive. 

He teaches me the importance of gratitude, forgiveness, and letting go. And despite all the ups and downs of marriage, I know he loves me inside and out, for who I am, not for who I appear to be. 

Blessings,

Dalinda

Christmas 2015

Praying that your life is enriched by the powerful reality of who Jesus is and the sweet gift of His saving grace....MERRY CHRISTMAS! 

Blessings,

Dalinda

God Is Always In Control

Even though our world is in turmoil, God is always there to remind us who is in control. ✝

A beautiful reminder tonight: 

Blessings,

Dalinda