Gifts and Kindness

Homemade Christmas gifts are a tradition on my husband's side of the family.  This year our get-together was quickly planned, so I did something really quick and easy.  I made room fresheners and Thieves Cleaner (using Young Living Essential Oils) from recipes I found at mamanatural.com.  I also added a other oils to make some new scents. I found the bottles on Amazon from a store called Everything4Oils.  The amber glass spray bottles can be used for many things.

Another homemade gift was a little ramekin filled with coffee beans and a tealight candle.  When you burned the candle, the heat made the coffee beans' aroma fill the air.

My mother-in-law gave us homemade apricot jelly (my husband's favorite) and plum jelly (my favorite, plus a bag of pecans.

Another sister-in-law made cute shadowbox frames that had scrapbook paper backgrounds, foam/glittered balls in them with a wintery saying.  I can't remember what mine said at the moment and I packed it away yesterday, but the sticker letters were on the outside.  It was so cute!  Another one she did had jingle bells in it and the letters said "Jingle all the way".  Very cute idea!

Speaking of gifts, gifts show kindness.  It's customary to give gifts at Christmas, for birthdays, and other holidays and occasions, but some are just random.  I love the idea of random acts of kindness, don't you?  It doesn't have to be a special time to be kind.  Being kind can happen any day of the year.  That's what makes them special.

Last night our family (all six of us) and one of our nieces were headed to a basketball game. We left early so that we could eat Mexican food at one of our favorite places - a special request by our oldest son who wanted to eat there before he heads back to college Saturday.  When the time came to leave, my husband asked for the check.  The waitress said that our meal had already been paid for!  It was such a surprise to us because we honestly had no idea who might have paid for it!  A special act of kindness done randomly (or perhaps not randomly for the nice person who did it, but for us it was very random.).

Be kind to someone today.  Find a way to give of yourself to others.  It doesn't have to be huge - like paying for seven meals at a restaurant.  It can be something small.  Just take the time to do something for someone.  You'll be glad that you did.

Kindness

 Are you kind?  How do you show kindness to others?

The Bible says, "Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you," Ephesians 4:32.  Being kind to others is showing Jesus to others.  It's just one way we can let our lights shine for Him.

There is no small act of kindness.  Every day you can read of someone doing a random act of kindness, such as someone paying for someone else's meal, then the recipient goes on to do something kind for someone else.  The ripple effect begins with just something simple, yet it can be never-ending.

"Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience...", Colossians 3:12.  Our kindness is shown by what we do, not what we plan to do.  It's easy to put off being kind until a more convenient time, but true kindness comes when we put the needs of others above our own needs or desires.

 These two photos share simple ways you can be kind today. Pick one or two and do them today! Plan to be kind! God will give you many opportunities to be kind, but unless you act on them, they may be wasted opportunities.

Love is patient and kind...1 Corinthians 13:4a. 

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23

 The printable above are ways you can participate in the "Random Acts of Kindness" initiative.  You can do these RAOK any time, every day!  In doing so, you will brighten someones life.

 Kindness is the language all can hear and see.  Social barriers....language barriers....all come down when someone does something kind for someone else.  No act of kindness is small.

God showed his loving kindness to us by giving up His Son to die on the cross for us.  No act of kindness has ever been shown that is greater than that one act.  But we can do little things to show kindness to others that can point them to Him.  Our little actions, no matter how small, can be used to tell others about that one huge act that can save them.  

How can you be kind today?  

The Challenge

My husband and three boys were gone on a ski trip with a church group from last Thursday until yesterday. Our daughter came home from college for the weekend, but before she left, she said she was giving her brothers a challenge.

When she left, I decided to go see what it was.  I knew it involved money because she either got some from my purse, or traded it out...or maybe just tried to trade it out, since one of them is having to share his with another brother.

And here is her challenge to each of them:  Do something good for someone else using this money. Be creative and include a Bible verse with the good deed. Then they are to report back to her and tell her what they did.

I can't wait to see what they do with this money!  I'm thankful for her challenge for her brothers.  What a great way to encourage random acts of kindness!  I have a feeling she does this, herself, for others at college :).