Little Things . . . they Mean Everything

I read about a pastor from N.Y. who wrote the following ~

I went to McDonalds recently . . . because I got a coupon in an Amazon.com order for a free Southern Style Chicken Sandwich. I ordered my sandwich, a small fry and a small soda. The total came to $3.47 - I was a happy camper. I can’t remember the last time I ate lunch for under $3.50! McDonalds Southern Style Chicken Sandwich

About two bites into my ‘Chick-Fil-A-look-a-like’ sandwich I glanced at the receipt. And that’s when I noticed it:

Eat-In Tax . . . 0.25

I was a charged a QUARTER for eating my meal in the restaurant where I ordered it. I was no longer a happy camper.

Now, before you think this must be a 'New York City' thing, I want you to know that this happened outside NYC . . . in a standard suburban McDonalds.

The issue was not the actual 25 cents . . . .The issue was not 'tax' as I don't mind paying any legitimate tax (render under Caesar and all that). . . The issue was that McDonald's was charging me a hidden fee to eat the meal I purchased from them on their premises.

Here's the point: The issue wasn't the quarter but the feeling the quarter caused. It left a bad impression on me that I’ve been living with for several days now. Over a mere 25 cents, McDonald's left me feeling bad about the entire experience (and overall the chicken sandwich was pretty good).

In 1988, I heard bestselling author Harvey Mackay speak and he said -

Little things don’t mean a lot - they mean everything!

I've lived with that quote for almost two decades! In this case, one little thing at a fast-food restaurant left a huge negative impression on me."

So the question for us at FBC is this ~ ~ ~

What are the little things we are doing at which may be leaving negative impressions on our guests or regular attenders?

* Are we being stingy with printed materials?
* Are we skipping the 'little things' in worship and not telling people when we are about to pray or when its time to sit down?
* Are we assuming everyone knows what to do and where everything is? I'm thinking of the children's time, it will be announced for now on.
* Are there funky odors in the bathrooms that a 25-cent (okay 99 cent) deodorizer would solve?
* Are there lights burned out in the children’s area or somewhere else?
* Are the labels on the envelopes we mail out more than a little crooked? (Harvey Mackay is in the envelope biz)
* Are we giving our guests a 25 cent greeting, while giving our old buddies a $5 greeting?

You get the picture. Let me remind you again ~

Little things don’t mean a lot, they mean everything!

What changes do you/we/I need to make this week that will remove negative impressions and leave people saying 'Wow!' when they leave your church on Sunday?