Random Acts of Kindness

K is for Kindness today! I found this in a magazine...

Random Acts of Kindness
Make the holidays more meaningful by trying some of the following acts of kindness. Others will appreciate your kindness and you will feel blessed.

*Say thank you even for the smallest acts of kindness.
*Open a door for someone.
*Allow the person behind you in a checkout line to go ahead of you.
*Bake cookies for firefighters at a fire station or nurses at a nearby hospital.
*Volunteer to read a story to an elementary school class or during story time at your local library.
*Take out the trash for someone else.
*Purchase a meal for someone who needs one.
*Make holiday cards with your child and visit a local nursing home to distribute them to elderly people.

To me random acts of kindness means you don't plan them, you just do them, randomly. So, the idea of planning to do them seemed a little weird to me, at first. Unfortunately, I get so wrapped up in the everyday of my life that I don't think about what others "everyday" looks like. Honestly, I was feeling very overwhelmed last night...how many gifts do we have left to get? What should we get everyone? I need to get everything mailed off. When do you get paid again??? I know I'm chasing rabbits here, bear with me. I decided today that I would have to make a complete turn-around. I want my kids to KNOW and LIVE the truth. The truth being, it doesn't really matter! What really matters is family, friends, neighbors, people, and showing the love of Jesus to all of them.

Believe me, I'm preaching to myself here! Let me know if you have any Random Acts of Kindness to share.

The Reason for the Season

So, I didn't get to post yesterday. I was busy cleaning my house from top to bottom. Although, as I look around now, you can't tell a bit! Gotta love boys:) At least everything is sterilized.

Well, I did mention in my last post that yesterday was Invite for I. Today is J is for Jesus. I love to read to my boys. It is one of our traditions to read a Christmas story every night in December. My goal is to have 25 different ones, kind-of like a countdown to Christmas. There are so many books out there that have wonderful illustrations and sweet story lines. But, none of them should take the place of reading the story right from the Bible. This year I plan on having Adam help read it, I'll have to get the video camera out!

We have a lot of fun with the boys. They love to sing Christmas songs and look at lights. It's just that the time we have been given with our children is very precious to me. Why spend it doing things that they can't take with them?

Have a blast this season, celebrating the birth of our Savior!

H is for Happiness

"Bring joy and happiness to others by doing simple things, such as surprising a neighbor with a freshly baked batch of cookies."

The boys thought that it would be really nice if we raked our neighbors yard so they could have fun jumping in the pile of leaves! I had fun explaining to them that their idea of fun probably wasn't the same as our neighbors. They're an elderly couple :)

Tomorrow, "I is for Invitation" Invite someone to church with you, or have them over for a visit.

G is for Give

Today is, G is for Give. It simply says, "Remember the gift God gave to you- Jesus! Give to others this Christmas."

I don't give as often as I would like. I don't have the money or don't know who to give to..... Well, I found out about this ministry through Angie Smith's blog http://audreycaroline.blogspot.com/ (She's the wife of lead singer Selah) Anyway the ministry link is http://nilmdts.com/start.php It's a non-profit photography organization, infant bereavement. I'm not explaining it very well. If you'd like to know more visit the site. Anyway, I have a link at the bottom of my blog that you could use as a search engine. Every time you search you help raise money for NILMDTS. If you go to IGive you can get the same thing for any cause you like.

I have some really cute pictures of the boys I plan on posting soon. Today my baby is sick:( So, till tomorrow...

What's a friend?

So, F is for Friend. For me a friend is someone you can talk to about things you're going through, no matter what it is. A friend is someone who will listen and be there for you. A friend is someone who wants to know you...all of you.

This song came to mind today:

What a friend we have in Jesus,
 all our sins and griefs to bear!
 What a privilege to carry
 everything to God in prayer!
 O what peace we often forfeit,
 O what needless pain we bear,
 all because we do not carry
 everything to God in prayer.

2. Have we trials and temptations?
 Is there trouble anywhere?
 We should never be discouraged;
 take it to the Lord in prayer.
 Can we find a friend so faithful
 who will all our sorrows share?
 Jesus knows our every weakness;
 take it to the Lord in prayer.

3. Are we weak and heavy laden,
 cumbered with a load of care?
 Precious Savior, still our refuge;
 take it to the Lord in prayer.
 Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
 Take it to the Lord in prayer!
 In his arms he'll take and shield thee;
 thou wilt find a solace there.

Today we are celebrating Danny's birthday! He has been singing "Happy Birthday" to
himself all morning. It goes something like this; "Happy birfday to me happy birfday
to me happy birfday to Danel, happy birfday to me!" It's just not the same without
hearing him. Too funny :)

E is for Encourage

Here are some of my favorite encouraging verses:

Revelation 21:4
He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."

2 Corinthians 1:3-5
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.

Philippians 4:6
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God

Psalm 34:18
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit

There are so many verses that are like medicine to my soul. I have had many times when these verses are the only thing that speaks to me. I hope everyone spreads encouragement today! Tomorrow kind-of goes hand-in-hand with today. F is for Friends. Call a friend tomorrow and let her/him that you're thinking of her/him.

D is for Donate

There are sooo many things to donate to! I didn't have to think to long though...we will be donating to Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep:

Now I lay Me Down To Sleep - ~Infant Bereavement Photography

This was founded in 2005, two years after our Todd. If it wasn't for my family members I wouldn't have any pictures at all of Todd. I was able to make a scrapbook with the pictures taken. Well, this just seemed like the perfect place to donate to.

Tomorrow, E is for Encourage, I challenge all my family members and friends to say one word of encouragement to someone every day in December!