Random Acts of Birthday Kindness - Guest Post by Cindy McCarty Grubenhoff

Happy New Years my dear bloggy world friends.  I hope you had a wonderful holiday season and are getting back into your regular life swing of things. I had a little delay it getting back to blogging due to a bug in Blogger.  But I'm back!  To start off the New Year here at The Celebrated Family, I asked my high school friend Cindy to guest blog about how she celebrated her birthday last month.  It's pretty awesome!  I know it will inspire you.  With my birthday just a few weeks away, I can't wait to follow her lead!

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So I had a big birthday this year.  No, not THAT one.  I was turning 38.  What’s big about that, you ask?  Well, I was turning 38 on 12/12/12!  So I wanted to do something special, something I wouldn’t easily forget.  I chose to celebrate my birthday by performing 38 random acts of kindness on the 38 days leading up to my birthday.  I read about a woman who performed 36 random acts of kindness ON her 36th birthday, but that just sounded stressful to me.  So I decided if I did one per day for over a month that would be not only more fun, but also have more of a lasting impact.  

I wasn’t planning to tell anyone about my plan, after all, I really didn’t want someone to think I was doing this to get attention.  But honestly, I just could NOT keep my mouth shut.  I had so much fun and I felt so great that I just had to share it.  I ended up posting a couple pics on Facebook and the comments came rolling in.  Then Wendy asked me to write this blog post about it with a complete list.  So here you go!  Whether you decide to do something similar or just pick one from the list once in a while, I can guarantee it will make you feel great...even if it just makes you smile today.

1. Gave my daughters hand-me-down clothes to a single mom with three girls

2. Bought Starbucks for person behind me in the drive through

3. Gave a power bar to homeless guy on the street corner (I actually keep a stash in my car and do this on a regular basis - I feel better giving food - protein - than money)

4. Volunteered at my kids’ school to help put away the book fair books

5. Gave my plumber a cold soda when he came to check on a problem

6. Complimented strangers

7. Gave a new Mom  and her baby a seat when it was crowded in church

8. Put stray grocery carts away in the King Soopers parking lot

9. Donated over 5 pounds of Halloween candy for troops overseas (my kids got over it)

10.  Sent a thank you note to my kids’ teachers at school

11. Bought a hamburger for homeless man at McDonald's

12. Picked up trash and extra dog droppings while walking my dog

13.  Brought baked goods and a thank you note to my favorite mechanic

14. Hid $1 bills in the toy section at the dollar store (with a note that said “Please enjoy this random act of kindness!” I didn’t want a Mom to be suspicious about where their kid got the money!  (this was my favorite random act)

15. Donated clothes, shoes and household items to ARC

16. Helped a man find what he was looking for at the grocery store

17. Left a 50% tip for our nice waitress

18. Taped 2 quarters to the game machine at the restaurant 

19. Made bread for a family at church

20. Bought dessert for the eyeglass store employees who always fix my son’s glasses

21. Bought sunflowers for my Mom and Mother-in-Law on Thanksgiving

22. Shared coupons with others in line on Black Friday

23. Left pennies by the fountain for wishes at the mall

24. Bought clothes, toys and shoes for a family in need at church

25. Put a quarter in an expired parking meter

26. Took home a friends child from school so she didn’t have to rush to get there 

27. Left 50% tip for another waitress - another favorite since I used to be a waitress!

28. Raked part of my neighbors yard while raking mine

29. Left a note on a diaper changing table which said "You're a great Mom! Keep up the good work!"

30.  Brought 8 pizzas and soda to the Emergency Department at Children's Hospital (where my husband works)

31. Brought my massage therapist and hairstylist a thank you card and doubled my usual tip

32. Left $5 taped to the gas station pump 

33.  Made cookies for our postal worker

34. Gave school crossing guard a $10 Starbucks card

35.  Donated dog food, treats, toys and blankets to the local dog shelter

36. Left thank you note and tip for the trash and recycling workers

37. Donated 50 used children's books to our library

38. On my birthday I bought 12 lottery scratch tickets and hung them on the back of bathroom stall doors with a note saying "Is today your lucky day? 12/12/12"

 The best part about doing this is that I have created a new “habit” and I can’t seem to stop.  I believe each of us has the ability to make an impact on the world around us, and I want mine to be positive. Thank you for the privilege of letting me share my list - I hope to hear your ideas for Random Acts of Kindness!

Cindy Grubenhoff

Let's get away this Christmas dear...

Let's get away from sleigh bells
Let's get away from snow
Let's make or break some Christmas dear
I know the place to go
How'd you like to spend Christmas on Christmas island?
How'd you like to spend the holiday away across the sea?
How'd you like to spend Christmas on Christmas island?
How'd you like to hang a stocking on a great big coconut tree?

- Christmas Island, Jimmy Buffett

We head today to our own little Christmas Island where great-grandma, the grandparents and island friends will join us in our very nontraditional, tradition of an island Christmas.  Before we head out and disconnect from cell phones and reliable Internet service, I wanted to wish you a very merry Christmas. 

May the joy of the Lord be present in your homes, may the wonder of the miracle, Emmanuel , fill your hearts and may you find the time in the coming days to slow down a bit and love on the children in your life. 

Merry Christmas!

Celebrating that even this can be beautiful

Last night I had the privilege to speak to the amazing MOPS groups at Antioch Church of Erwin.  The women were warm and welcoming, and I was so blessed to meet them.  I spoke about seasons in our life (from Ecc 3) through the stories of Mary and Elizabeth.  The final segment of my talk was on Ecc 3:11 "He makes everything beautiful in its time."  God promises us here and in Romans 8:28, that He will turn even the ugliest seasons of our life beautiful. 

I was finalizing my speech this weekend.  THIS weekend, with images of lost beautiful first graders and the teachers and staff who loved them.  I have images of two of the parents burnt in my brain.  Oh Lord, help, how can your scriptures tell us that everything will be beautiful, everything is being worked for our good?  There is so much hurt, and evil, and brokenness, some days it is inconceivable to swallow these promises.  But that's just it.  They are promises from a God who does not fail. 

Mary and Elizabeth's lives held much hardship and sorrow. Individually they faced barrenness, poverty, isolation from family, being a refugee, and both having their precious sons murdered.  Yet through their lives we see redemption and times of celebration;   a long desired child given, financial provision through foreign wise men, and finally - triumphantly - death overcome through Jesus.  The goodness of God is so evident and it is encouraging.  It gives us hope.

Our lives are so similar to Mary and Elizabeth's lives.  Our struggles are different, our blessings are different, but the faithfulness of God through the good and difficult seasons is the same.  Just as the celebrations of their lives are remembered and honored, I believe God wants us to boldly celebrate the goodness He has worked in our lives as well.  Sometimes people feel like it is callous to celebrate one's happiness when people around us are suffering, but celebrations of the faithful are not about us, they are about giving glory to God for His goodness and giving much needed hope to one another. 

I challenged the women last night to share how God has made past seasons of their life beautiful.   The conversation that followed for the next hour was amazing.  There were stories of greatly painful seasons that God had so graciously made beautiful.  The stories were hard.  Our tears were many.  This life is not an easy one.  Yet each story was like a candle being lighted, casting more and more light into that room.  Each story shouted, "Have hope!"  "Do not despair!" "God is good!"  As I sat listening, I thought, "This is Christmas."  To celebrate the close of a year with the retelling of stories to bring each other hope.  To remember the birth of our Savior, with recounting the ways He has saved us.  It was an amazing celebration. 

With just 5 days now before Christmas, I encourage you to make time to share as a family the goodness God has worked in your lives.  May your shared stories brighten your Christmas celebration with the radiant love of Jesus Christ. 

Merry Christmas friends!