He is not a Christian is he?

OK, so for those of you waiting on updates about the trio, you will be disappointed this time ... or maybe not. But no update on the kids, no cute pictures, just the story of my lunch hour yesterday.

I went to Wal-Mart to pick up a few things. While in the kid section looking for good deals on clothes, I overheard a conversation ... a one-sided conversation between a gentleman (and I use that term loosely) and his granddaughter. I'm not sure what had happened to set him off ... he must have accidentally bumped someone with his cart and upset them. But he was ranting and raving at his teenage granddaughter because she apologized to the person they hit. He kept saying it wasn't his fault and no one was going to talk to him like that and she shouldn't apologize to people like that, etc., etc., etc.

Obviously, the poor granddaughter was very embarassed by the whole situation. As we passed in the aisle, she looked at me and mouthed and apology for her grandfather. Anyone who knows me knows that I have a hard time holding my tounge in situations like this. But for some reason yesterday, I was a bit more reflective. I started thinking about what a poor example he was setting for his granddaughter. I think the main reason I find myself surrounded by rude, inconsiderate, lazy people is because their parents don't teach them any better. And in this case, their grandparents.

So I think about this for the next 10 minutes as I finish my shopping. And then the opportunity presents itself ... to talk to the girl, not her grandfather. We pass once again in the aisle ... and once again, she apologizes for his behavior. I simply smiled and told her not to dare apologize for his behavior. And then I said, "So, he is not a Christian is he?"

Imagine my utter jaw-dropping suprised reaction when she replied: "Actually, he is a priest."

I have been guilty in the past of behavior that would not lead people to think that I was a Christian. I don't want to be guilty of this in the future. I want my children to really be able to see Christ through me. I'm working on it ... but I still have a long way to go.

The girl told me that her Grandfather was the best thing in her life ... I left her with "No, God is the best thing in your life. And if you remember that, you will always be OK."

Now, if I can only remember to always follow my own advice. Advice ... the one area where it is so easy to give and so hard to take.

Quenta