Game Night, Date Night, or Just A Way of Life

Rushing, Rushing, Rushing.

We are always in a hurry. Ever since I was involved in a Random Acts of Kindness Scavenger Hunt a couple weeks ago, I've been more aware of this. Just watch the people around you as you run your errands. Everyone is in such a hurry that they barely have time to look at someone and smile.

My girlfriend came up with this idea for our small group to do. She came up with most of the ideas herself but said she did find a few on Pinterest.

We had an hour and 15 minutes to complete as many Acts of Kindness as we could. Of course we had to have photo documentation, which probably was the worst part. It kind of takes away from the kindness when you do something nice for someone and someone is snapping pictures while you do it.

That's why I thought this would also be a great idea for a date night with your husband or maybe even one of your kids or a whole family outing! Or just think how great it would be if in your daily life you were slowing down, aware of the people around you and being kind! Ever since doing this with our friends, I have definitely been more aware and have been trying not to be in such a rush everywhere I go.

Here is the list my friend made up but really the list could be endless. I did change a few things just because she had a lot of specific places to go.

1. Help someone bag their groceries at Aldi.
2. Hand out flowers to random people at the store.
3. Place Christmas cards and invites to our church's Christmas Eve service on cars in a parking lot.
4. Go through drive thru and pay for the person behind you.
5. Buy coffee for a Salvation Army bell ringer.
6. Leave quarters for someone at the Laundromat.
7. Leave coloring books and crayons in a waiting room.
8. Tape quarters to a vending machine.
9. Buy a gift card at a store and give it to the person behind you.
10. Buy a bottle of water and gum for a clerk at the grocery store.
11. Hand out balloons to kids shopping with their parents at the grocery store.
12. Push carts back inside at a store.
13. Give coupon to a table at a restaurant.
14. Drop coins at a playground for kids to find.
15. Send a text to someone you think needs a lift. Tell them that you will be praying for the throughout the week and include scripture.

Like I said, the possibilities are endless. Just stop and look around you when you are out and I'm sure you will find many things to add to this list to bless those around you.

Here are some more that I thought of:

Give someone your cart at Aldi and DON'T take their quarter. (I actually love doing this!)
Take some one's cart from them after they load their car and bring the cart back for them.
Pick up garbage that you see lying around.
Help an elderly person.
Smile at people and say "Hi!"
Let others go first.
Hold the door for someone.

Another way our family has been blessed this month is through an assignment Alex, Amanda, and Joshua were given at school. Their teacher gave each student in their class $5 to bless someone. We had a lot of fun thinking of ideas and bringing gifts to others.

Joshua brought Football cards to a little boy that has been going through intensive treatments for cancer. We have been praying for this boy for months now and they were so excited to go and meet him.

Alex wanted to bring flowers to a woman that we have also been praying for that has cancer. We were able to bring her the flowers and sit down and have a cup of tea with her.

Amanda really wanted to buy gifts for kids at the hospital but was disappointed that she wouldn't be able to give the gifts to the kids herself. She then decided to buy a Poinsettia plant for our neighbor and we brought them some cookies too. They are new neighbors of ours and he has been in and out of the hospital this fall.

It's been a huge blessing to our family to take time out of our busy schedules to think about others, take the time to go and sit with them for a little while. I definitely want to add this to the things we do every year at Christmas time and even throughout the year.

As you go through the busyness of this season, remember to take time out for others around you and show them the Love of Christ.

"For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another."

1 John 3:11

I Think It's Finally Safe To Say......

The Flu Bug is gone.

I hope.

It was Saturday evening, November 3, that it entered our home. I remember every little detail.

Just kidding. That was a long time ago. I remember it was a Saturday night and I remember it was Joshua. Other than that, it's all a blur.

We finally got him back to school the following Wednesday.

Then BAM! Thursday night at 10:15, it was Alex.

It's weird to say but even a child's personality shines through in their ability to vomit. In an effort to not be so graphic, I will just say one word, "Everywhere." You name it, it was on it.

OK, never mind. I'll be graphic. Walls, sheets, comforter, pillow pet, another kid, the bathroom, down the stairs, in her hair. You get the idea.

At this point I forgot how long it took for one kid to get better and the next one to get sick. I want to say it was the following Tuesday night that Isaac came down with it.

Amanda insisted she had a force field around her and I was being a germ-a-phobe (how do you spell that?) I cleaned it all up and washed a million sheets but tried to stay far away from all my children. Everyone was under strict instructions to not touch anyone else's cup or food regardless of who had it already.

We thought we were going to be in the clear for Thanksgiving but there was one person that I don't think was as much of a germ-a-phobe as I was.

Yep, Tuesday night before Thanksgiving Brad got it. And he got it the worst! He had a vacation day all planned but spent it in bed. Once again, I stayed far away! He spent his Thanksgiving Day laying on the couch recovering after a day and a half of pure torture!

Well, now it's been a week and a half and neither Amanda or I have come down with it. We both had small touches of not feeling good but we never came down with the full fledged flu.

Now that you've had that fun fascinating details of our sicknesses, here is what else has been happening.

A little boy lost his first 2 teeth. It's hard to tell because his new ones had already come in behind but he lost both of his bottom teeth. Unfortunately the tooth fairy forgot to come when he lost the first one but the second one, she was all over that and made it on the first night but almost got caught!

When I look at his teeth, I think one word......BRACES! Can't wait for that!

They've been a little suspicious if the tooth fairy is real or not ever since a friend told them it's their mom. They've asked me several times and I make sure that I don't lie to them. I simply ask them what they think and they decide she is real. After all she gives them money.

Then there is this little boy. He keeps losing teeth but they never seem to want to come in. He lost both of his front teeth last January and the 2nd one finally popped through about a week ago. He currently has another one loose.

Can you tell he wasn't too happy about having his picture taken? This was the best I could get.