Kindness and Mornings

"Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience..."

~ Colossians 3:12

There are early mornings when you would rather stay in bed -- just a little longer -- but duties await.  Teenagers bicker as you try to get them off to school and siblings speak too loudly.  And then there are mornings replete with kindness that make you feel overwhelmed with gratitude.  You read a quote in the Bible that inspires you to talk to your child about "putting on kindness."  Then when you ask him why he is packing extra forks and spoons in his lunch box, he tells you that sometimes children at school ask if anyone has an extra at lunch and he wants to be "ready."  A colleague in another state who raises butterflies sends you photos of a new butterfly that has just emerged from its chrysalis.  And you are amazed at the wonder and beauty of it all and how kind we can be to each other -- whether we are sharing wisdom, plasticware or photos.  And sometimes, the bickering and the kindness are all part of the same morning.