Monday, April 22, 2013

Garbage Man - I Am Your Number One Fan


One of the most important things we try to instill in our children is KINDNESS! Every day, repeatedly, you will hear in this house: "Is that being kind?" and "Are you treating your brother how you would like to be treated?"

I try to provide examples of being kind and sharing the love of Christ to others to my children everyday.  Things such as offering the cashier at the store prayer, buying the milk for the lady in line in front of us, paying for the coffee of the person behind us in line at the drive through, and more speak volumes to them when they see the responses from the receivers.

We have also been blessed to be on the other side of kindnesses. Oh how it fascinates the children when someone compliments us, someone shares something with us, and especially when someone randomly buys our dinner!

I try to stress to the children that it is not the size of the kindness that matters - it is the little things that may make someone's day.  This is where our garbage man comes in. Twice a week, that man drives down our street doing a job that many of us would dread in weather conditions that range from wet and rainy to one hundred degree heat with high humidity.  And every time he does, he takes the time to be kind and make someone's day.

In his big green truck, he pulls up, waves, and beeps twice in a row.  This results in a big smile and feverish wave from the one year old that is twenty feet away watching the truck intently.  After the other man loads all our trash into the truck, both workers usually wave again and the driver beeps two more times.  Oh what fun! This elicits even more smiles, faster waves from the one year old, and the yelling of the word "hi!" repeatedly.

It doesn't take much, but this man makes my little guy's day twice a week.  Nehemiah now waves at every garbage "tuck" we pass like they are old friends, consumes books with pictures of them, and sings songs featuring their skills.

Four beeps.  Imagine if we all just did a little kindness in what we did every day.


"And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you." Ephesians 4:32


One happy boy on garbage day.





2 comments:

  1. Awesome! Love this! You just motivated me today to try harder. Thank you for sharing.

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  2. June 17th, National Garbage Man Day
    This June, John D. Arwood invites the nation to celebrate trash collectors, dumpster haulers, sewage workers, street cleaners and just about anyone who does the dirty jobs that we would rather not do ourselves. Arwood is raising awareness for our garbage men and women that make our cities and homes livable. “Garbage men are a sign of a healthy city,” said Arwood. Whether it’s the people who empty your fast food grease traps or deliver your port-a-potties, these are the people who make our lives smell better.
    John D. Arwood found his enjoyment for recycling at a young age gathering aluminum cans around the neighborhood on his bicycle. Arwood grew up alongside his father in garbage collection and conservation. It has become a passion in the family. When asked about his family’s American Indian heritage, Arwood feels it plays a significant role in their decision to choose a pathway of conservation and honoring the environment by leaving a clean footprint.

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