Wednesday, November 16, 2011

A "small" kindness can do BIG things...

One. One act of kindness. Who knows how much good can stem from one "small" act of kindness? Only God, really.

This week of the challenge we were asked to highlight acts of kindness that someone else has done, instead of focusing on each of our own acts this week. Many other bloggers have shared some fantastic ideas...many of them inspired us! But I'd like to share with you something that profoundly impacted our family this year and it isn't a part of any blog or any 30 day challenge.

It all started with a birthday party. Dear friends of our family having a large gathering to celebrate a sweet girl turning 7 years old...and then a year later turning 8. Last year and this, instead of birthday presents, the family requested that each party guest bring canned goods to donate to the local Food Bank. And so it began...

Not only did that family help many people receive food that they so desperately needed, but an act of kindness like that can be "catchy".

After a thoughtful discussion and just a tiny bit of encouragement, Hope decided to do the same thing for her birthday. She was overjoyed as we delivered her collected food to our local food pantry! And the kindness kept "catching"...

Hank decided he wanted to ask his guests to donate school supplies to compile MCC school kits. He was so excited to compile 14 complete kits. And the kindness kept on "catching"...

Mattie asked her birthday party guests to bring items to include in Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes. She has packed 13 shoeboxes that we will be taking to our local Drop Off location on Saturday.

What a wonderful example of how one "small" act of kindness can have a huge impact. Three little lives (plus how many more?) that were influenced by an example of kindness.

Throughout our 30 Days of Intentional Acts of Kindness challenge, I've enjoyed reading other blogs to see the acts of kindness other families have been doing. So many great ideas have been shared these past two weeks!
I've already mentioned Cindy at Crayon Wishes and Popscicle Dreams in a few previous posts...thanks again, Cindy!
And I LOVE what Jennifer has to say over at The Purposeful Mom about encouraging her kiddos to show kindness within their own family. Her children made sweet books sharing what they love about their sibling. I am planning on borrowing the idea this week because we could stand to cultivate a little kindness between siblings around the Shoe household! And special thanks again to Jenae over at I Can Teach My Child.com for starting this 30 day challenge. It has truly been a blessing to us and, hopefully, to others receiving our small attempts at kindness these past two weeks.

This challenge continues to remind me not to underestimate my children. Little ones can do BIG things, too:)

Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. -1 Timothy 4:12 (NIV)

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