| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| CabinCreek-Kentucky |
Posted - Jan 08 2006 : 11:16:36 AM
oh do tell us about a 'random act of kindness' that you received. it is on my new year's resolutions to do lots more of these in 2006. i believe these acts are remembered forever .. usually come at 'the perfect time' in our life and that we should 'pay them forward'.
True Friends, Frannie |
| 23 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| jpbluesky |
Posted - Jan 24 2006 : 08:39:42 AM
Stacy - what a great story, and yours also Catherine. There are really good people in this world. So reassuring.
"Sell cleverness and buy wonder" |
| owwlady |
Posted - Jan 24 2006 : 08:08:12 AM
Stacy, that was beautiful. This is the second post I've read this morning that has almost made me cry! |
| CityCat |
Posted - Jan 23 2006 : 6:04:37 PM
In the winter time, right after it snows, my Dad goes out, revs up his snow blower and clears a path to his next door neighbour's garage. He then gets out the neighbour's extra large snow blower and heads down to the elderly Italian couples' house four houses away. He does their driveway, walkway, and sidewalk, and then heads across the street to do the Irwins' driveway and walkway. My Dad heads back to his house, does the sidewalk for the houses on either side, and then finally does his own driveway and walkway. When his next door neighbour, Tony, had a heart attack one winter, my Dad did their driveway, and walkway too. And he does it all with relish and gets utterly embarrassed when people thank him. He amazes me. -Cat |
| rosebud74a |
Posted - Jan 23 2006 : 11:27:31 AM
That is a great movie...how wonderful it would be if everyone abided by the pay it forward rule. My random act of kindness...Several weeks ago my husband and I were having our Friday night date at the local diner. It is very low key place were all the local gather. The same gentleman that we had been seeing in the diner every week was there, although this time something was diffrent. He was there alone. We inquired with the waitress, and she told us that his wife had died. Previous to this week they were in the diner every week together. She frequently came in with her hair in curlers, and carrying her walker (yes carrying, not using). She was somehwhat confused, so he would loving help her and redirect her. My husband and I teased that is who we would be like when we got older. You could defianty tell that they were still in deeply in love. You can imangine that a week after his beloved had died how sad and lonely this man looked sitting there eating his dinner alone. I wanted to go up and hug him and sit and have dinner with him but I was much to shy, and I find people sometimes don't want or need the same things that you want to give them. So instead, I sat and smiled at him and left money enough to cover his dinner. I felt good knowing that I could help him in some way. Even if he did have the money to pay, I wanted to let him know that others were thinking about him, and that wasn't alone in the world........Peace,
Stacy
Aim above morality. Be not simply good, be good for something
Henry David Thoreau
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| cajungal |
Posted - Jan 23 2006 : 10:12:30 AM
I have not seen that movie but will get it this week. After days of hitting school pretty hard, my girls and I like to have a girlie afternoon on either Thursdays or Fridays. I think that movie will be our girlie time. Thanks for the info.
Blessings
Catherine
One of the best compliments from one of my daughters: "Moma, you smell good...like dirt." |
| jpbluesky |
Posted - Jan 22 2006 : 3:44:33 PM
Yes, I saw the movie and it had a lasting effect on me. Pay it forward. Love the next one in line. Know that God and Jesus do not want us to harm each other, but to love one another.
Thank you all profusely.
"Sell cleverness and buy wonder" |
| CabinCreek-Kentucky |
Posted - Jan 22 2006 : 3:23:06 PM
PAY IT FORWARD. Did you all see that sweet film? If we all do kindnesses and 'pay them forward' ... this nation ... this world ... would be even more beautiful. Meg's brother has it RIGHT! If we can look at others who seem to be 'out of sorts' .. and maybe not as kind as we would like for them to be .. it truly is 'almost always' because a dark cloud is hovering over them at the moment .. and what they reallly need to shoosh it way is a kindness from someone. Let's all BE that someone! xo, frannie
True Friends, Frannie |
| jpbluesky |
Posted - Jan 22 2006 : 1:16:16 PM
Goodness - I love you gals. Since I have had the extravagance of not having to work for a few years, I have tried to live my life within the parameters of giving to others as much as possible. I take my older friends out to shop and to lunch, I teach Bible study, I take care of my grandbaby and try to help my daughter, I cook for those who are sick, I share my garden goods with others......I try to spend every moment serving. And when I visit this site, I see that so many others do the same...with much more ease than I. God bless you all.
"Sell cleverness and buy wonder" |
| cajungal |
Posted - Jan 20 2006 : 1:49:08 PM
John, what a great story....it should've made the news. What a way for another country to reach out. Thanks for sharing that!!
Years ago, my hubby had lost his job. Our oldest was 3 and we had a 2 month old newborn. There were many acts of kindness blessed upon us during that time and are so grateful for....money, food, gas, diapers, etc...
But, at a time when we had nothing, I sensed the Lord telling me to make dresses for a family with 4 girls. Now, I thought I should be sewing for my own daughters not someone else's. Well, ladies, you know how we all have our stash of fabric....I started to look through my stash for the fabric to make the dresses and the Lord impressed upon me that I needed to buy fabric....not only buy fabric but find out the girls' favorite colors and such and make the dresses individual to suit each of them. I did not want to do this! I told my husband and he said I had to obey the Lord and I went out and spent money on fabric for the girls. I took a couple of days to complete the dresses...all the while crying and being mad.
While I was in middle of sewing I felt the Lord touch my heart and tell me, "As you are making these dresses for others at a time of your own need, I tell you that your own children will never go without clothes."
Ladies, that was 10 years ago and my girls have never needed for clothes. We have since moved from that home and no one knows about the story. At the home we previously lived and the home we live now, we have had bags of clothes left on our front porch! Each season we are Blessed with more! We aren't poor looking people and don't "advertise" our needs....but God has truly kept that promise.
We struggle with finances and often have talks with our girls about what we can and can't afford. We share that story with them and it warms their hearts. One time in our telling of the story, our youngest blurted out...." And now we have too many clothes!! We can't even keep them in our closets!" It's true, they have overflow of clothes the get Blessed on.
So, from a seemingly tragic time of losing a job, I obeyed God and did an act of kindness for someone and now all these years I continue to reap Blessings from others' acts of kindness.
Blessings Y'all
Catherine
One of the best compliments from one of my daughters: "Moma, you smell good...like dirt." |
| Lavender Cottage |
Posted - Jan 20 2006 : 11:50:06 AM
I was crying reading these-so wonderful-so awesome! Thanks-you are all BEAUTIFUL! :) |
| john frierson |
Posted - Jan 20 2006 : 11:19:28 AM
the winter after 9/11 was particularly long and grey for those of us living in downtown nyc. i remember so clearly the first morning in march when the sun was just strong enough to make you turn the corner to face it. as i walked past my little neighborhood park i noticed dozens upon dozens of daffodils sprouting up. that day, i started seeing them all over the city. they were everywhere.
after some research, i learned that the government of the Netherlands had sent a million bulbs to new york in the days after 9/11. a gesture of kindness that was so sweet because it reached us all months later, at the very moment when we needed it most. there's nothing like the first daffodil... |
| Aunt Jenny |
Posted - Jan 12 2006 : 10:49:19 AM
I think that is so neat when someone sees a need and acts on it and helps a miracle happen. There are such wonderful people out there who have the means and just need to know where to find a need. That is such a wonderful story!!
Jenny in Utah
It's astonishing how short a time it takes for very wonderful things to happen...Frances Burnette
http://www.auntjennysworld.blogspot.com/ visit my little online shop at www.auntjenny.etsy.com |
| owwlady |
Posted - Jan 12 2006 : 08:32:18 AM
Sometime in early November my oven stopped working. I was already down to one burner and knew the stove was on it's last legs. I knew I couldn't afford a new stove so I was down to using the one burner and my microwave. I mentioned this to a lady and shortly after, out of the blue, I get a call from her wanting to know if I would like a new stove. I said yes, how much would it cost? She said nothing, so I thought it was a used stove that someone was replacing. Well, it turned out that her church went and bought me a new stove and had it delivered, installed, and my old one removed at absolutly no cost to me. I couldn't even believe it!!! It's beautiful and works great, all in time for my Christmas cookie baking. God works so wonderfully through people. I still can't believe my good fortune. |
| medievalcat |
Posted - Jan 12 2006 : 08:09:00 AM
This topic about made me cry. How beautiful. Does random acts of kindness count when it's family?
Three years ago, my hubby, I and four kids found ourselves homeless. We were living in a home on the North Shore of New Orleans, that belonged to his mother. When she passed away the family fighting kicked in and we were told we would have to move. At that time my hubby was laid off work along with about 200 other guys who all did the same kind of work. The local market was flooded with able bodies and finding a job was very hard.
We decided to go visit my family in Arkansas who I hadn't seen in five years. My aunt Debbie, said we could stay with her for the visit. When we got there, they learned of our hardship, and offered to let us move in with her. She let us live in her large house, hired my husband, and helped pay for us to move our stuff too.
She took in the six of us! It wasn't all fun and games living with her but it was the kindness that I remember the most. I've offered my home now to several ppl. Of course I tell them it helps to be nuts if you want to stay here with the six of us. So far no one has been the right kind of crazy.
Kindness can come in all shapes and sizes. Keep it in the forefront of your mind and you can't help but smile.
Hugs to all,
Cynthia |
| jenny louise |
Posted - Jan 11 2006 : 02:00:11 AM
 I love hearing these stories, makes the world seem such a nicer place.
I work as the head cook for the county program of meals on wheels so I get to spread love on a daily basis, which is nice. But so often i don't get to see the faces of the folks we feed. On tuesday evenings, a group of people get together and eat at our facility, about 50 of them. I started doing up an hor dourve tray for them. At first they couldn't figure out why; was someone special coming?; a birthday? But now they just enjoy it and feel spoiled.
I have to tell you also, that yesterday, as i was coing up the hill before our valley, the roads were really icy, and i saw a guy, sitting in his truck in the ditch, partway up the hill. I rolled down my window and made a phone call sign, as i slowed way down. He waved and smiled an nodded afirimativly. I started to speed up and my truck sidelined, i got it straight and the guy smiled and waved as i slid backward all the way down the hill! I laughed and laughed, kindred spirits! I backed up and went four miles around the back and more level way home, passing the tow truck that was rescuing the guy.
Jenny |
| Judes |
Posted - Jan 10 2006 : 5:42:37 PM
Yesterday I went to the market. Mind you, I live in the city...so going to the market is not as quaint as it may sound. Anyhow, I was there to buy my veggies for the week, but also kind of on a "random act of kindness" mission of my own. There is a girl who has a stand there who just hasn't seemed like herself for the last few months. She was usually chipper and happy & all, but I had noticed a sadness about her, and decided that if I had the chance, I would ask her if she was alright. After some small talk, I asked if she was doing okay. I said that she looked great on the outside but that inside it looks like she wants to crawl into a ball and cry. She then opened up about the loss of her mother, the holidays, and how she was just having a really hard time. I think she just needed permission to talk about it. I felt really priveleged to hear what she had to say. On my way out of the market, (the first/last stand in the market is a potato and onion stand run by a guy named Tony) I stopped for two sweet potatos, and he said "do you need any shallots or garlic?" I said "no thanks, just 2 sweet potatos" and he said "well...can you use them?" and I said "of course, but..." and he proceeded to fill an entire bag with onions, garlic, shallots and the like....when he handed them to me, he said "this is for being beautiful". The thing is, I know that he meant that NOT in the "hitting on me" kind of way. he has has never asked my name, because he just calls me Smiley. Something so small, but it made my day and I can't stop thinking about it.
Another thing, which happened on Friday...I stopped at a little tiny local deli. I had walked all the way there in the rain, on my way to work. I ordered my food, and then realized that my wallet was at home. He was spooning tofu curry into a bowl when I declared what a big dummy I am. I told him about my wallet and he said "we'll take care of that later, FIRST...let's make sure you get fed." He then filled the bowl twice more. When it was time for me to leave, he said "okay....who are you?" and I said "I'm judy" and he said "okay, judy owes $6.85. We'll see you soon. Have a wonderful day" And I walked to work and devoured my tofu curry.
The thing is....it's contagious and it's everywhere. I love hearing these stories so keep them coming!
Judes
http://schoolstreet.typepad.com
www.jac.etsy.com |
| Meg |
Posted - Jan 10 2006 : 3:14:20 PM
This fall, being our first Halloween back in Idaho, someone left the Halloween ghost and poem with yummy treats for us too! I love the idea of the 12 days of Christmas! I might have to borrow that lovely idea! Please don't spill the beans, for anyone that lives in the Moscow area! I say we make sure those kind of things still happen!
There is a little drive-thru coffee shop here in town that sometimes, if you happen to drive up behind a particular someone, she pays for your coffee. So, when you pull up to the window the young woman says, the person before you bought your coffee and wishes you a good day! My brother calls her the Phantom Riveria Lady and we always buy the person's coffee behind us! It always makes my week and it is such a small gesture.
Once, while my brother and I were at a restaurant he left an unusually large tip for the waitress. The interesting part was that I had thought the service was lousy. I mentioned that and he replied, well, she's obviously having a bad day and that should hopefully improve her day!
MaryJane's daughter,
Meg
megan@maryjanesfarm.org |
| farmgrlchick |
Posted - Jan 09 2006 : 2:39:49 PM
Wow, these stories are inspiring..keep 'em coming! |
| quilt8305 |
Posted - Jan 09 2006 : 1:15:47 PM
In my neighborhood there is a ghost at Halloween that visits and leaves little things on a neighbors doorstep. There is a cute poem that goes along with it that I can share if anyone is interested.
Its' a lot of fun!
Mary
The great use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it. Wm. James |
| sqrl |
Posted - Jan 09 2006 : 10:37:31 AM
Wow you live in such a loving nieghborhood. I didn't think that kind of thing happened anymore. it's like a fairytale.
Blessed Be
www.sqrlbee.com www.sisterhood.sqrlbee.com
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| greyghost |
Posted - Jan 09 2006 : 10:19:51 AM
Aunt Jenny, your town sounds so nice! What a neat, thoughtful idea - and how strenghtening for a community spirit to have things like that! It seems more like the little old-fashioned town kind of thing, I love it! |
| Aunt Jenny |
Posted - Jan 09 2006 : 09:48:28 AM
About 3 years ago..we had only lived here 6 months or so at that point..after a cubscout leader's meeting where we leaders had been talking about wheat grinders, (I used a hand grinder at that point and was the only one who didn't use an electric one...because of the cost, but I hadn't said that) a nieghbor gal who lives about a block and 1/2 down the road one days just showed up and gave me her old whispermill grinder (wasn't OLD in my book..it works perfectly and looked like new) since she had just bought a new bigger mill. I was so shocked and pleased. I just thought that was the most thoughtful surprize!!
People here in town tend to do "the 12 dyas of Christmas" for newcomers too. The first Christmas we were here someone did it for us. We never found out who..now we pick a family and do it each year. What we do it leave something on their front doorstep each night for the 12 days leading up to Christmas..with a story or something or just a note that goes with it..One night may be a box of candy canes and a story about the Shepherd's crooks that insprired the design, or a bag of oranges and the story "Christmas oranges", or hot cocoa packets and homemade cookies, an ornament for their tree, a CD of Christmas music or a storybook about Christmas,a nativity, you get the idea. It is so fun and the kids just love it. I know it made us feel so welcome when it was done for us and was so fun to look forward to what was left for us..and we never did find out who did it for us. I love that. So we try to be sneaky and so far I dont' think we have been caught the three years we have done it now.
Jenny in Utah
It's astonishing how short a time it takes for very wonderful things to happen...Frances Burnette
http://www.auntjennysworld.blogspot.com/ |
| cajungal |
Posted - Jan 09 2006 : 03:47:50 AM
My neighbors received a brand new fancy leaf blower and gave us their older one which was only a year old. They just brought it over one morning!
These same neighbors also gave us some smoked turkey and turkey sausage made from the wild turkey the husband got while bow hunting. Yummy!
One Blessing that I try to pass on is child care. We've never had a babysitter because it just couldn't fit in the budget. So, my hubby and I didn't start "dating" again until a couple of years ago (now married 16 years) I don't want my friends to go through that, so, I make an effort to keep someone's kids at least once a week so they can have time together. Because we home school, we are available during the day and the couple can have a looonnnngg lunch. All the kids just do school together and it all works out fine.
Blessings
Catherine
One of the best compliments from one of my daughters: "Moma, you smell good...like dirt." |
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