Extraordinary Ordinary!Sample

One day when Joy, our fourth child, was about twelve years old, we were walking side by side at the mall. I noticed within just a few seconds that my feet were so much louder than hers. Her steps were measured and landed with such soft grace. My feet were hitting the tile floor hard and rhythmically pounding out a pronounced beat as we walked together. I commented on the fact that my pace was loud and hers was gentler. My wise twelve-year-old replied, “Mom, that’s because we walk differently.” Instantly, I chose to change the way I walked by slowing down a bit and then consciously controlling how hard my feet hit the floor. It took focus but I changed the way I walked. We can all change the way we walk through life with focus. You choose whether to pound your way through life making sure everyone hears the rhythm of your being or you can walk with grace, control, and power. You can loudly make your presence known by the choices you make and by rehearsing your pain or you can choose to be gentle and peaceful. It may take focus and some emotional fortitude, but you actually can choose to be gentle in the words you speak. You can choose to be gentle or rough in your daily dealings with people. Regardless of your personality type, your ethnic background, or your family heritage, make a choice to be a gentle person. Gentleness always cultivates strength and beauty in the heart of a believer. If gentleness is a virtue that is difficult for you to embrace, perhaps it would be wise to try to model the life of someone whom you know to be gentle in their dealings with people. Spend time with this compassionate and considerate person and then observe how they respond to others. Be brave enough to pray this prayer with me today, “Lord, help me to develop a spirit of gentleness, especially in stormy and difficult situations. Lord, help me to talk gently and to respond to others in a gentle manner, Amen.”