Spring into Summer

This blog post is long overdue. Originally I planned to title it “Spring Makeover” but that is now outdated. My busyness a year ago at this time came as our two kids married within seven weeks of each other! This year I find that springtime still kept me hopping. In education, testing and the associated preparation and paperwork all happen in the second half of the school year.   Personally, we have travelled a lot and celebrated most of the family birthdays and anniversaries in the past few months.

It’s not quite meteorological summer but with the end of the school year and hot temps, it is summertime! Many of us think ‘makeover’ after the winter months. We want to get healthy, brighten our look and spiff up the wardrobe! As I mentioned, a year ago our family experienced the back-to-back weddings of our son and daughter. This meant that within a very short period of time I was both Mother of the Groom and Mother of the Bride. Though I didn’t go to a royal beauty spa as Queen Esther of the Bible did, I experienced an untypically high number of beauty appointments during those wedding months.

Two local beauticians handle my normal routines. Both women are similar in age and background and each of them own their small beauty business. With repeated visits, some patterns have emerged. One of them regularly shares about business hardships, difficult customers, high rent bills and bad employees. I try to be understanding in my response but much of her concern is the nature of the service industry and dealing with the public. She works hard and her business is successful. I like supporting her small enterprise.

I had a costly, time-consuming manicure for a beautiful occasion.

The other shop owner radiates sweetness. She too is a very hard worker which has kept her in business alone for many years. As a single parent, she is proudly sending her son off to college. She’s always grateful for customers and she’s friendly with everyone in the building. In fact, I met her through my husband, whose office was directly across the hall from her salon. It is truly a treat, not just a beauty treatment, to patronize her business.

An “all done” selfie.

And then there is Annie at the Clinique counter. Unlike some of the other Vogue-like models at make-up counters, Annie is maturing but cute and down to earth. She gives helpful make-up advice and calls to remind me when there’s a sale, because make-up is expensive and rarely discounted in department stores. I notice that Annie’s customers come from all walks of life and many greet her with a hug. I too feel pampered and prettier after my infrequent splurges there.

These three ladies remind me that how we do our work matters. Most of us choose the work we do, paid or not. We can approach our work and our coworkers and clients with joy and gratitude, even when the work is hard, the hours are long, the pay is low and . . . the people! Only God’s touch will perfect us, but a ready smile and a heart of thankfulness will be a beautiful blessing to those around us.

Romans 12:2a, 11 “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.”