The Ultimate Compliment

Before harvest started, I made a trip to Wal-Mart to stock up on a few things. I bought Lee some thin, stretchy gloves for under his rubber gauntlets. I handed them over to him and his response was a classic Lee response, "Thanks mom, I'll use these. These'll come in handy......real handy." It was a nice compliment, to know I had picked, out of the millions of items sold at Wal-Mart, just the right thing for this seven year old working boy. Later reflecting on this moment, I wondered why that comment stroked my ego so well. I realized this was the ultimate compliment because I am a very practical person. A few Christmas' ago, DH gave me jewelry and a Nesco roaster. I wear the earrings often; each time I place them in my ears I think about how beautiful they are and how nice they will go with my outfit. But, each time I use the the Nesco, I think, this is great, it sure comes in handy. For me, "coming in handy" is far more important than being "beautiful". Just look at my house, my wardrobe, my garden, my quilts, my attitude (some days) and even my faith. Sometimes these things just aren't beautiful, but they sure are handy. I think about the ripped US map on the closet door, the mismatched long underwear pajamas, the row of mildewy bean plants, the not so perfect stitch in the ditches, the persevering attitude that comes out as pushy and forceful and Confession, NFP and works of charity. All of these are handy, but not always beautiful to the untrained eye. This makes me think of the PBS show, The Red Green Show. His motto is: "If they can't call you handsome, at least they can call you handy." Come to think of it I should make a roast chicken for supper, in the Nesco, of course.