39 Random Acts of Kindness

I have a friend that is turning 40 at the end of this year. We both share December birthdays. She thought it would be a great way to commemorate her last year in her 30's by completing 39 random acts of kindness (RAK's). She challenged her friends and family to join her on this task.

 I, funny enough, had been eying a book called One Good Deed A Day. When Holly threw this idea out, I jumped on the opportunity.

Before I had started my RAK's project earlier this year, I receieved one myself from a driver in front of me in a Starbucks drive threw. They paid from my order. That had never happened to me before. I had a very overwhelming feeling of great fullness and guilt for receiving such a gift. I had to work through the guilt but did really enjoy the gesture.

Here are my RAK's up to this point. I'll update through out the year.

1. I sent a care package to a friends Husband who is deployed overseas. He is stuck out on a ship for months and months at a time. I can't even imagine how his family does it. I learned the box arrived mangled. Sad. I hope that the thought of us thinking about him and whatever did arrive intake uplifted him for a bit.

2. As I walked through a lobby on my way to a meeting in downtown Seattle. I saw a lady struggling to get her bags out the buildings multiple front doors. I grabbed the doors and held them open for her. She was greatly appreciative.

3-5. One day while driving I made sure to pay attention to being a polite driver. I let 3 cars into my lane of traffic on different occasions. I think the simple gesture of being a kind thoughtful driver is important. I'll never know if this effected the other drivers. You just never know, one of those drivers could have been having a terrible day and a kind simple gesture could mean the world to them.

6. I gave $10 to a girl in her late teens-early twenties, that was standing on a corner. She had freezing cold hands when she took the money. After seeing what I was handing her she said "Are you sure?". She appeared very embarrassed to be on the corner asking for money. I said yes I'm sure. She walked away. As the stoplight changed she nodded and thanked me again with her eyes. In my mind that $10 couldn't have been better spent. I have no idea what she'll use it for, but I felt her great fullness and true need coming from her.

7. I took a meal to a Mom that recently had a baby and her toddler broke his leg. She is in same Mom's group as me, but we hadn't ever met before. She was quite thankful that I would leave a meal since we had "never even met before".

8. I made a freezer meal for a family in the PM kindergarten class at Shane's elementary school (Shane is in the AM kindergarten class). The Mom in the family is fighting breast cancer and has had on-going chemo since school started this year. We never met the family before. Not having to think about one meal, though a brief break, I hope a much needed one.

9. I made a meal for a friend who just had twins. Those sweet little babies are #3 and #4 for her family. Her two older kiddos are around Shane and Adalyn's age. I can only imagine how crazy life is with twins plus having two older kiddos. We never received any meal when we had Shane. The couple that we got when we had Adalyn was a dream! Knowing that I didn't have to think about what to feed my family while trying caring for an infant was a much needed break!

10. While at a kid coffee shop. I went to the counter to get my drink and saw that the Mom who had ordered in front of me still had her drink waiting for her. I grabbed it and walked it over to her. She was surprised and appreciative. Her hands were full with two kiddos and attempting to have a meeting with someone.

Any one want to join me in my quest to complete 30 Random Acts of Kindness??