Encourager

Its pretty amazing to know you are being thought of... rooted on...cheered for...held up. To know and hear words that remind you that you are valued, irreplaceable, regarded. I know it can change my day. We all need to hear that from time to time.

I think the greatest encourager in our family needed to hear it today. As I drove Mason home from school this afternoon, he told me about the end of the day. A celebration in the last hour of school for the coming spring break. The classes ended early and went to their homerooms to write notes of encouragement to fellow students and anonymously put them on their lockers. What a thing to ask of Mason! Encouraging is one of his most prevelenat gifts. He is the king of encouraging! Mase does it like nobody's business. He has made birthday scavanger hunts for his siblings, bought gifts for someone who needs uplifted, spent hours making cards, left surprise treats in inconspicuous places, shown up in the perfect moments of need. This kid is THE Encourager.

So, after he put up a note of encouragement for another student, Mason anxiously walked down the hall to his locker to see what it would have stuck to it. Unfortunately, his locker only had his lock on it. No note, no encouraging word. Maybe they ran out of paper? Maybe they ran out of kids? Ran out of steam or words, even? I'm not sure, but whatever it was, the notes ran out one too short. It may have been a bit hard to swallow for a 7th grader who is trying to figure out where he fits in. I know it was like swallowing a large brick for me as I fought back tears in the car when he shared this moment. Those times as a mom, when you hear hard things for your kids, yet are trying to coach them through at the same time...hiding the weak and trembly feelings....those moments are like prickers. So hard to take in and then give back life giving words to the child who needs to hear them.

So, Chloe and I set to work reminding Mason of how much he is valued and how much he is loved. We surprised him with a locker of his own.

Chloe painted this picture of Mason.

As I pondered this small, but pretty big thing in my 13 year olds day, I remembered what a huge thing it is in everyone's life...being encouraged. Sometimes it feels like a hunger in a way. The wonderful thing about being encouraged is that it fills you up then spills over to encourage others. It passes on. It tags you until you tag another. Its a pretty beautiful thing, encouraging others. We love hearing stories of people reaching into the lives of others, by lifting them up and showing hope and good will. It speaks to our souls and reminds us of people valuing each other instead of tearing down.

How blessed I was today that track practice had been canceled, and Mason's day was fresh in his thoughts, and I was right there to hear the words and help smooth them out a little.  I was able to remind Mason, and remind myself, that encouragement is the very best when it comes from the people who know us and love us best. It sinks deeper and holds the truest. It stays forever and knits us closer.

So, in the end, today was a really good day.