What do I want for Christmas?
As I thought about the answers to these questions this year I was reminded of a post by Ann Voskamp and something she did on her birthday and a sweet OBS sister Shelly did on her birthday... Be The Gift. (Give It Forward Today)
With my Birthday three days away from Christmas the month of December has always been filled with much happiness and joy. This year is still filled with happiness but from a fresh and different perspective. With many life transistions of kids growing up and moving out, my husband losing his job, the deaths of friends and friends loved ones, overall health and life challenges I am choosing to do something different this year.
This year with these two days fast approaching I would love to challenge you with my Birthday Wish ....
Be The Gift
(Give It Forward Today)
If you are in a store leave some change in the candy machine to put a smile on a child's face as they find it.
By a stranger's food in a restaurant, drive thru, coffee shop or convenience store.
Pay for someone's gas...
Take some flowers, card, fruit, candy and pass out in a parking lot at a shopping center, to a neighbor or someone in a nursing home or hospital.
Bake or buy some goodies for co-workers, family, friends or neighbors.
Offer to Be The Gift by mowing someone's lawn, driving them some where, going to the store for them.
Call, text, e-mail or message someone and let them know you are thinking about them.
Give water to garbage men when they come to pick up your trash or the mailman when they deliver your mail.
Give water to garbage men when they come to pick up your trash or the mailman when they deliver your mail.
My Wish is that you will not only Be A Gift but that you will Be A Light for someone this week that needs a little Christmas cheer. That you will makes someone's day a little brighter by intentionally Being The Gift. (Give It Forward Today)
Will you join me?
Will you Be The Gift to someone?
I am choosing to Be The Gift this year and hope that God's light will shine through me.
I would love for you to share with me here on my blog or on my Facebook page how you were the Gift to someone. I will be sharing on my Facebook page each day and will share in my blog next Thursday. Come join me!
Denise, I LOVE YOUR blog and that you want others to Be the Gift as your holiday and birthday gift. I created a "Give Generously" list myself this month and only a few are similar to yours, so would love to add to your list and celebrate together that this world CAN be a better place, if we choose to participate when we are able. :) Happy Holidays and Happy Birthday!!!!
ReplyDelete1. Always put money in a tip jar, they really do need it more than you, even a few pennies.
2. Return your shopping cart to the store and if you see one in the parking lot, imagine someone just asked you to help them because they were in a hurry.
3. When someone is rude, show them what kindness looks like. They may not have seen it in so long they have forgotten how to extend kindness.
4. Offer to help someone in the airport; it's a stressful place to be and will make you feel better too. I've brought a smile to the most tearful babies by making a funny face at them when the parent was struggling - makes parents laugh too.
5. Ask your child to write a short card/note to their teacher with something helpful they've taught them. Ask your preschooler for 2 things they like about their teacher and put it in a note for them.
6. Go through your LinkedIn contacts and "endorse" skills you admire about them. Write short sincere recommendations. They can choose to publish or not, and your message will make them smile.
7. Write 5 Thank You notes/emails a month; think outside the standard and include your postal worker, bus driver, favorite wait staff, pastor, pastor's wife, admin staff, neighbor, colleague, babysitter, etc.
8. Give education lottery tickets for gifts less than $5 (goes great with thank you cards).
9. Acknowledge when loved one(s) are in a stressful job and ask how you can make things better for them outside work. Support them and expect nothing in return.
10. Call a loved one you haven't spoken to in a while and ask how they are doing.
11. Volunteer at a charity; most charities have 1 hour opportunities to serve and make a difference.
12. Put quarters in the toy machines at child stores/restaurants. It can get a child to smile as fast as ice cream.
13. Anonymously pay for someone's lunch that is eating alone.
14. Offer to watch someone's pet instead of boarding while they travel, will keep you both company!
15. Offer to pray for someone who's hurting, either together with them or later on your own.
16. With sincerity, compliment someone you pass that you think they look beautiful (hair, clothing, smile, eyes, shoes, etc). The more years they have above yours, the better!
17. Help someone get home safe if they've had too much to drink (taxi, bus, shuttle, etc).
18. Visit an assisted living facility and drop off beautiful greeting cards. Pick a few residents to engage in a short conversation.
19. Connect two people together who have similar interests; you never know what brilliant ideas will result.
20. Dispose of chewing gum properly - trust me, this is a generous act. It doesn't end well otherwise.
21. Assume positive intentions before confronting someone. We have no idea where their mind is focused. Extend grace first. Your hurtful words could send them off a cliff they were contemplating jumping before you arrived.
22. Donate as much as you can spare to charity organizations that will use the goods directly. Many charities can sell excess donations to other organizations, getting the most value out of your donations.
23. Gossip doesn't make real friends; Let gossip stop with you.
24. Ask a shy acquaintance to go to lunch and learn more about them without any expectations/intentions.
25. Smile at strangers. The best compliment I've heard recently was that a visitor knew they were out of town because someone smiled at them in passing.
Just seeing this post but will be doing this for my birthday too! Love it Denise!!!
ReplyDeleteDenise! I am so glad to have found your blog. What a beautiful and inspirational site. I love that you have honored God during your birthday celebration by reflecting on and challenging the rest of us to be a light during this season. It so happens that in that Spirit, I had the wonderful opportunity during the holidays to encourage a team of people at my job to join me in cutting and preparing shoes for West African children who suffer from foot disease. We were able to support a wonderful group called SoleHope.com and be a light in our place of work and to the beautiful children and families in that reason. You send a powerful message in encouraging us all to let our light shine before men!
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