Mind-your-Manners Monday

The Daily Kindness Challenge

Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honor preferring one another;
~ Romans 12:10

Often overlooked, but always appreciated, good manners are kindness in action. So, today's challenge is a simple refresher of the basics - mind your manners. 

Here are some examples to keep in mind today:

• Use please and thank you every chance you get!
• Hold open a door for someone today.
• Choose faces over phone today by putting your phone away while having face-to-face conversations with friends, co-workers, or service people. If you must take a call, simply smile and say "excuse me please."
• Drive courteously.
• Ask how people are, listen to their response, and comment in a way that makes them feel heard.
• Use good table manners, like chewing with your mouth closed, asking for food to be passed rather than reaching, and using a napkin properly.
• Don't interrupt others while they are talking.
• And, the Golden Rule: treat others the way you would like to be treated yourself.

Oh dear! I need to work on these! It's amazing to me how relaxed we become about things without even realizing it. Manners may seem a bit old-fashioned these days, but they are still the basic building blocks of kindness. 

Have a kind day!

Lord, thank you for my parents and all the other people in my life who taught me good manners. Help me to improve upon mine. Help me to prefer others over myself by being courteous to them and mindful of their needs and comfort. I pray for each person taking the challenge today and ask the same for them. Please be with them today, Lord, and help them to be kind. Amen.