jesus loves mean people too

whenever we go out i usually (not absolutely 100% of the time) make sure bug is donning a hairbow. i just love them on her. and, afterall, she is my little girl!

bug and i and one of her many hairbows!

so today was no different. we went to dinner with her nana, papa, and her aunt a and then to target and bug's outfit was complete with a hairbow. she really does not mind them one bit. the only time she ever pulls at the hairbow is when she is really sleepy. other than that those bows stay on all day and, no, we never have a fight when putting them on. i would say 99.9% of the time we hear ooos and ahhhs and "she is so cute" and "look at that hairbow" from people we come across. today, though, we had our first not so friendly reaction.

while in target a woman walked by us, looked directly at bug, very audibly and with great disdain said "ugh, poor kid" and continued walking by. i, of course, couldn't let that go and said, "my child is very happy." she, indeed, was very happy - cooing and laughing and playing with her aunt a. i can't be for certain why this woman said this but i drew the conclusion that the hairbow was the culprit. i would so love to say that i was oh so very Christlike towards this woman, but i cannot tell a lie. i immediately began pointing out all physical things about her that were unbecoming: her 3 shades of blue hair, her tshirt that was inside out, her overall obnoxious demeanor. is she obnoxious? i really can't say - my anger was talking.

as i've been able to step back from this for a bit i realize that i was no better than this woman. and she, if truth be told, really did nothing wrong. so she doesn't like bug's hairbow - big deal! i took her comment as an attack on my parenting. my parenting is no better or worse due to her comment. but my heart and attitude could've responded in a much better way. i am pretty positive that the Lord was not pleased with my glaring at this woman or with my negative comments toward her even if she didn't hear them. i gave not a fleeting thought to this woman's eternal person and focused solely on how she had hurt me and how she was way worse off than my sweet daughter wearing a hairbow. truth is, she may just be worse off - she may not know Jesus as her Savior. i look back now and wonder if i could've used the few seconds i tried to assure her of bug's happiness to say something of more eternal value. i wonder how things would've been different if i had looked past her personal preferences that i do not share (ie blue hair) and tried to see her as someone my Savior loves and calls for me to love.

i am ashamed that i cannot walk the walk of Jesus when it matters. i am really good at talking about it but when it matters my flesh seems to always win out. i hope next time i can hear with Jesus' ears and see with His eyes.

*and this has absolutely nothing to do with this post but i just wanted to say how H.O.T. my husband is* (that's for you, baby! love you so much!)*