Young and Old

I've been thinking a lot about something that happened at Albertsons last month. I don't know why it's been on my mind. It was a few weeks after Easter and while grocery shopping I noticed that the Easter baskets were 90% off. I decided to get one for Matt and Trent. The only problem was that they were up on the very top shelf and I could barely reach them. As I was wrestling with them trying to get the 'boy' ones down (don't think they'd like the Barbie baskets) this teenager came walking up the isle. He was probably about 16 or 17 and was on his cell phone. My first impression was that he looked to be a little . . . questionable. I heard him tell the person on the phone that he had to go and he'd call them back. He then walked over to me and asked me which ones I wanted and got them down for me. He was so nice and helpful. I thanked him, he said no problem, and he walked off. It made my whole day. Obviously my first impression was wrong (as they often are) - and I was so touched by what he did. We hear so much negativity about teenagers . . . it's too bad there isn't more focus on the good things.
On a side note, something that bothered me today . . . I was picking up some dry cleaning for one of my customer's on my way to clean her house. The woman working there, McRae's Dry Cleaning (not sure if I spelled that right), had KTSY on. I told her that she had a great taste in music and that I loved KTSY. She said that she does too, but, when her boss is there she can't have it on. Her boss told her that she finds it offensive. Geez. Yes, let's not play good, clean, music . . . . how about some rap or something? I don't see how it could possibly offend anyone. But, whatever. I guess I need to pray for her boss. She said she thinks her boss doesn't like it because it's convicting. That just could be it.
Lastly what I want to write about is my mom. She has been talking a lot lately about her getting older (she's 70) and what she wants when she can't take care of herself. For example, it really bothers her that at a lot of these care centers they try to force people to eat. She absolutely does not want that to happen to her. She does not want to come live with any of her kids and would prefer a care center. She said that she, of course, wants to be buried by my step-dad, and that she probably won't be here when Trent graduates from high school etc. It is really bothering me. I know that it's good to talk about it so that we know what she wants. I just can't think about not having my mom. It was hard enough when my dad died and when my step-dad died. I'm much closer to my mom so I know it will be even harder. I hate that people have to get old. I've always thought that God could have come up with something better . . . but I'm sure He knows what He's doing. :) It's very hard when you have kids you are taking care of and parents you are taking care of. But it is a blessing. When I was helping to care for my step dad, for over a year, there were days when I thought that I just couldn't get through another day of watching him suffer. But I'm so glad I could take care of him. It was a great blessing.