December Kindness Month Link Up Week #1

If you're linking up here today it's because you've chosen to take the challenge.  You've chosen to strive everyday to do at least one extraordinary kind action for someone else.

Now, this can be a simple act but the point is that you do something.  Sometimes the simplest of kind acts can change someone's life. I know that some of you may be reading this post and thinking to yourself, "What a naïve thought.  To believe that one fleeting person could leave such a mark...ridiculous."

But it's not friends...not by a long shot.

Let me tell you a story and please understand that this is a difficult task for me.  I don't like writing about what I do for other people.  I tend to think that it's a little arrogant, but this is to prove a point.

This past week I was at the Dollar Tree purchasing some LED candles to make this craft (click the words to see the instructions) from A Night Owl, when the lady in front of me was having difficulty paying for her items.  I don't know if the card reader was having problems or if there just wasn't money in her checking account.  It really doesn't matter.

After quite sometime and many tries, I thought to myself, "Why not just pay for this?  It can't be that much."

So I did and guess what.  I think the total was under $3.00, but you would have thought that it was $100.  The cashier kept talking about it.  The person behind me kept talking about it.  They all just keep talking about it.  And it was uncomfortable.

But what was the girl's response, "Are you serious?  You want to pay for mine?"

She was shocked.  And I was shocked that she was shocked.

I truly hope that she looks back on that moment and feels joy and feels comfort and feels friendship.  Hopefully, she'll realize that she's not alone.

There's just something about those little acts of kindness that inspire us and make us want to be a better person.  Like when someone paid for my Starbucks.  I was shocked and so happy.  It made me want to brighten someone else's day in the same way.

That's what December Kindness Month is all about.  This is the brain child (or maybe Heart Child) of Jenn from My {not so} Glamorous Life.  Jenn has been inspiring me all week to be better.  We want you to join us and it's not too late.  If you missed the first week, no big deal.  Get in on the challenge now.  Start today.  Change a life today.

So here's the rules:
1) Aspire to do at least one out of the ordinary kind thing everyday.
2) On Fridays during the month of December link up your post about how you were kind.
3) Don't feel guilty for "bragging."
      -My voice teacher says it takes 21 days of consistant action to make a new habit.  Aspire to let kindness by your new habit.
      -Your story could help inspire others.  Let's start a revolution.

That's it.  That's all the rules.  It would be rather cool though if you'd join Jenn and me in tweeting using the challenge's hashtag.  It's #DKM.  It'd also be cool if you'd tweet, Facebook, and google share about this challenge.  The more people who participate the more lives changed!

Ok, so get to it!  Link up and spread love, joy, peace, happiness, and KINDNESS everywhere you go.

Until next time...

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Changing...

Over the last few days I have been overwhelmed with this truth.  It's not enough to want change.  It's not enough to talk about change.  If true change is going to happen, about anything in life, it will only happen after action is taken.

It seems like every picture that makes its way into my timeline and every forwarded email that shows up in my inbox is a heartbreaking story of tragedy or inspiration.  Some ask for money, some encourage an emotional response, but all--all--compel the viewer to make a difference and pass the picture or pictures or email along.  Yet, passing along doesn't change the problem.  Raising awareness doesn't change the problem.  

But action does.

So here's my encouragement to you.  Believe me, this is a project that I'm doing tonight.  Make a list of goals--steps you can take to change your world.  Read that list everyday.  Look for your opportunity to act on that step.  Rather than passing it along do something to change the problem.  

It's your responsibility.  

It's your choice.  

It's your chance to be great and make a difference in the world.    

All My Love for All My Days,

Danette

P.S.  One person can change the world.

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One a Day Every Day...Just like Your Vitamin

Recently, my sister Dalayna (she blogs here) and I had a conversation about witnessing.  She told me of a challenge that she and some of her friends were participating in.  It's to witness to one person a day every day for a month.  I started to think about that challenge and I decided to take her on.

Witnessing and sharing our faith is such an important part of spiritual growth.  It's like a vitamin.  The more you take the stronger you grow.  The stronger you grow the more weight you can carry.

Here are the rules.

1.  Sharing your faith can be with a believer, but it needs to be done in a way that is encouraging to their faith.
2.  The ultimate goal is to see spiritually lost people come to find Christ.  Obviously, this works best if you have some type of relationship with the individual to begin with.
3.  Inviting a person to church counts...mostly because that this the door that has been flung open for me. :)
4.  If you're going to share your faith, you better make sure your actions back up your testimony otherwise you're hurting the message.  (I know that no one is perfect...just a word of caution.)

That's it.  That's all you have to do.

Here's the thing...Jesus came to seek and to save the lost.  He came to bind up the broken hearted and to give freedom to people in bondage.  We, as followers of Christ, have taken on His purpose.  He's given us the power of the Holy Spirit.  It is His great commission for us.  We've just got to do it.

I hope you are willing to take this challenge.  If you are just leave a comment below.  We can encourage each other and hold each other accountable.

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