Mom Heart Moments #174

Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.

ONE SUMMER, Nathan was invited to spend several weeks at a friend’s home. He was deeply excited, as this presented an adventure all his own and would also be the first time he had flown on an airplane by himself. With a dozen motherly admonitions, I sent him off and told him to be sure to call me when he arrived safely. My phone rang that evening, and as I answered, his excited voice bubbled over through the receiver.

“Hey, Mama. It was so much fun to fly by myself. And you will never believe what happened! The flight attendant talked to me during the whole flight because I had a seat at the front. I remembered to ask her questions instead of doing all the talking. I thanked her when she served me. I told her I appreciated her helping me when I was looking for my seat. She said, ‘You know, Nathan, you are one of the politest boys I have met in a long time. It was really a pleasure having you on my plane!’ Can you believe she said that about me, Mama? I felt just like I was an adult!”

When I recovered from my shock, I smiled and congratulated him as heartily as I could. In the midst of that proud mama moment, I realized that all of those minutes, hours, days, weeks, and years of hard work and training had truly paid off. After all of those times when I wondered if Nathan was listening, I realized that he had taken it in after all. He actually knew how to be polite! Renewed in my resolve, I kept on with my training, and Nathan was ready for more when he got home.

Isn’t it nice when someone else compliments your child and they pass it along? Who might you encourage with an unexpected word of grace today?