Sunday, November 30, 2008

Moms In Need...

I think that helping fellow moms is the best.

I also think that children are wise beyond our understanding.

Yesterday, we were at Target. Husband was slightly cranky but coming out of his funk. We unload the cart, load the kids, he takes the cart back. Gets in the car and notices me staring out the window.

I'm watching 2 moms unload their carts. They are there together and each has a young child with them. They are each unloading into their respective vehicles.

I tell Husband that I am considering going over and offering to take their carts for them. I know that I would appreciate that sort of offer of help when I'm out with my kids.

He gives me some attitude. So I back off. They have each other, they will help each other out. Right? We banter back and forth- him telling me to go, me saying that they weren't done unloading, blah, blah, blah.

A voice comes from the backseat.

"Mommy. We are supposed to help people."

So I got out of the car...

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Anonymous


Supplies:
$1
envelope
pen
tape
vending machine

I took my dollar, put it in the envelope, wrote a note about using the dollar for a cup of coffee, taped it to the vending machine in our breakroom at work. Didn't sign the note... just wrote "pay it forward."
Forgive my blurry pics- they are taken quickly and with a cell phone!!

Monday, November 24, 2008

Santa for Seniors

On our lunch hour today, a friend and I went to Walgreens, selected a Santa for Seniors tag from the tree, purchased items from the tag, bagged them up, attached the tag, dropped it off in the box by the door. Couldn't have been easier or more convenient!

I was buying for Evelyn. She is 76 and wanted lotion, books, and a blanket. My friend bought for Jerry who is 73. He wanted socks, a blanket, and Diet Coke.

Evelyn will be getting 2 large pump bottles of Walgreens lotion, a Christmas themed new release book (forget the title), and a cute lap blanket- cream and pink with fringe, woolly.

Jerry will be getting a jumbo pack of athletic type socks, a dark green chenille blanket, and a 12 pack of Diet Coke.

We each spent less than $20 and will be helping to light up Christmas for someone!

Be a Santa to a Senior!

Sunday, Nov 23

Good deed: Today, with no prompting, Teagan asked if we could go to the store and buy food for hungry people. Our church collects for the Fishers UMC Food Pantry and there was an announcement in the bulletin that they most needed spaghetti and sauce. When we did our weekly shopping today, that's what we picked up!! We will either get it to our church this week or will take it directly to Fishers UMC. 5 large boxes of spaghetti and 5 jars of sauce and we spent around $15.

Gratitude: Teagan decided, for the first time ever, that she wanted to go to Sunday School today. Our associate pastor, our pastor's wife, the teachers, and a teacher's daughter really went out of their way to make sure Teagan was comfortable and confident in what was going on and played a major role in her having a successful first time!! Huge amounts of gratitude for that!

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Gratitude

I think that recognizing gratitude is just as important as doing good things for others.

I am grateful to:

My father in law for installing a new faucet in our bathroom.

The bagger at the grocery store for offering to carry my 2 bags to my car (I had one child with me).

My friend for inviting me out for an infrequent "girl's night out" for me.

The waitress for handling a situation remarkably well.

Good Deed, Goodwill

I'm always torn on this one. I know that Goodwill does a lot of good for folks who are struggling. I always donate my extra stuff, outgrown clothes, out of style clothes...

But they do me a favor by taking my stuff!

But it is ok if good deeds benefit both parties, right?

Today, my 3 year old and I went through some drawers of toys and she chose toys to donate to Goodwill. We ended up with 2 paper grocery bags of toys- and she even carried one of the bags into the donation center when we made our delivery! And, as usual, I refused a receipt.

Friday, November 21, 2008

Addendum

What I really love are when good deeds end up being kind of selfish and benefit me, too. :)

Met my friend for lunch. Handed over the Bumbo. It's a pizza buffet place. We go up to pay before we start eating. I know it's tough to dig in your purse and all while holding a baby... so I offer to hold the 9 month old. Mom says fine but really doesn't think baby will come to me.

I was able to hold baby while mom paid, got her drink, sat stuff at the table, set up baby's food, and got her lunch from the buffet. As a mom myself, that is certainly something that I always appreciate!

And I got to tote around a sweet little baby and show her fake plants and windows and touch signs with her... we even rubbed cheeks a couple times.

Perhaps it isn't selfish... maybe that's just a smidgen of kharma?

A Friend In Need


Good deeds don't have to be huge. They just have to be genuine. That's my opinion anyway.

I have a friend/acquiantance that I know through a local message board. It's a very large board for area moms. She and I have met a few times, hung out at events. She had a baby 9 months ago and we talked a few times here and there about breastfeeding, whenever she needed advice or help.

She put out a call that there was s pecific piece of baby equipment they need. It's a Bumbo- a foam baby seat. I fell in love with ours when we had Teagan and she loved her Bumbo.

Zach never took to his. I had asked for one as a shower gift... but he never really liked it and it has hardly been used.

So this friend posted that she needs a Bumbo because the friend who gave her one is taking it back. Having had a child who loved her Bumbo... who sat in it in restaurants, at home, at church... I understand the panic feeling of being without.

So it isn't a huge gesture. And she isn't poor or destitute. And a Bumbo isn't a necessary baby product.

But good deeds don't have to be huge, don't have to cost money. I have something I'm not using, she has a need.

And bonus to the good deed- we are essentially recycling this product! Good for Mother Earth! Less packaging being thrown away, less chemicals being used to create this item.
Share a story with us! What have you taken from your own home, your personal inventory, and passed on to someone else?

Thursday, November 20, 2008

FYI

I updated the web addy of this blog to:

http://gratitude-n-giving.blogspot.com/

There is a website called gooddeedaday.com and I just figured I should avoid any confusion...

Put It On MY Tab

I have a friend who buys the meals or movie tickets or whatever of military personnel whenever he can. If he is dining out by himself or with friends or with family and he sees a person in uniform, he will go out of his way to pay for their meal.

So today's good deed is inspired by that friend.

I was at a business lunch. 3 soldiers, in their Army gear, walk in.

I excused myself from our table and went to the hostess stand. Asked if I could buy a gift card to pay for part of their meal. I don't have the funds to pay for 3 meals at Bravo but I wanted to do what I could. $25 is in my budget.

However, if I buy a gift card, it isn't going to be usable until the next day. Some may have stopped with that road block. But I believe in the power of good deeds! So I talked to the hostess, we talked to a server, and he rang up $25 on their tab with my credit card.

My boss encouraged me to stop by their table and thank them. I had really hoped to remain anonymous. But it just wasn't in the cards.

The reason I didn't want to approach the table is because I knew I would get emotional. But I did go over before we left and thanked them for their service. And they asked if it was me... and I said yes. And they each shook my hand. And I said thank you again. And they understood.

I don't support the war but I do support the military who are sent over there to fight it. This is one way that I can show my support of the men and women who sacrifice so much, risk so much.

Your turn!!

Welcome!

The purpose of this blog space is to inspire others to pay it forward. To help spark creativity in giving. To give a thank you when we've received.

Check in regularly and if a good deed inspires you, pay it forward. If it reminds you of something you've done in the past, share it. If it is something that has been done for you, share that experience.

One good deed at a time. Small kindnesses. If we all do the little things that we can do, we can touch other lives.