God Bless you Nancy. I know they really appreciated it.

I was always taught as a kid that what you do for others will always come back to you when you need it. So I'm always on the look out for a need here or there, and I always try to encourage anyone I come in contact with. My mom was right, whenever I've really had a need it has been met in time.

As is our custom, each year, sometime in November, my DH and I take a long look at our finances and find anything extra we have... Then we look at our church, at our local schools, at the shelters around us, at families we know, and generally end up spending somewhere between $1000 and $2000 between them. Those that recieve the help almost never know where it came from, we keep it secret. Often those who do know about this practice say how generous we are. The truth is that money had to come to us first, so that we could give it! YOu can't outgive the Lord. What we have all came from His great hand, and He has plenty more, so we just pass it on. We are as grateful to be able to give to those who need it as they are to recieve it... In fact giving at the end of the year is some of the most fun we have all year! Try it, it doesn't have to be money, just give whatever you have to give, it all returns again, pressed down and shaken together to make life a real blessing for others and for you.

One of the things that attracted me to my DH was his giving. Before I even knew him well he gave me money for a plane ticket to go visit my DD who was dying.. didn't loan me the money, he gave it to me. I've seen him hear of a need, or see someone with a real need, and he will take out his wallet and give them whatever he has in there.. every last dollar.. That bothered me at one time long years ago, but never does now.. We've been married over 40 years and we have had everything we truely needed. Sometimes not exactly when I thought we needed it, but it was always in time. He is a generous man and I love him for it. I always let him give because I know he will give more than I would.. I can't help wondering if we'll have enough for -----?? He doesn't wonder, he just gives.

Since the day after Christmas I have been making tons of food for my BFF who is having major heart surgery next week. One heart specialist refused to take her case, but she will be going to the Cleveland Clinic and having the surgery on her 51st birthday. I am trying to get food ready for her and her DH so when she comes home she won't have to worry about meals.

Rhonda, thank you for this thread! I dearly love it. I am just one person but everyday I do try to make a diff. to someone. May just be a salesclerk, but I always let them know they are appreciated. Whenever I see a person in a Military uniform, I stop, smile and tell them how much I appreciate their service & sacrifices for this Country.

If any of you get a chance, look up The Art Of Encouragement on the net. I am friends with this thoughtful young woman that founded this, so I do sign Cards all year long for this project. She is going to take a cheap flight to Dallas next Dec. and pass out some Cards in person. She mailed out over 10,000 Cards this Christmas to various VA Hospitals across the US. I went & bought 42 boxes of Cards today @ Dollar General Stores for $1 a box to sign for the project next year.

Together we can all make a difference in people's lives everyday. Kindness with a smile costs nothing.

I ran the `santa run `for the local childrens hospice.

I have been up (way too early today!) and thought I'd come here for a visit as I have been busy lately - SO glad I found this thread. I have had tears running down my face as I read. I thought kindness was basically gone - our family tries to help others when we can. We put grocery carts back in the store, we have people to our house all the time or save a plate of food to give to them later. We have one elderly gentleman we have given food to over the past year or two - almost every meal we have now includes a bit of extra set aside for him. It's not much, but he appreciates it. We have already planned on making this more of a habit throughout 2011.

I once heard that "giving until it hurts" was the wrong message. "Give till it feels great" is really what we should be doing, and I must say, giving as much as you can does feel great.

I always admired Eunice Kennedy for founding the "Special Olympics" and my whole life, I wanted to be just like her. When I hear her daughter Maria Shriver talk about growing up, and how her mom would ask each child what they had done that day to make a difference, Eunice would listen and then ask, "Did you do enough? Could you have done more?". So I try to live up to that and ask myself the same questions.

I do my best year long to fill any needs I can for others. I don't have money to give, but I have organizational skills to do a fundraiser, I'm willing to do the work necessary, or just ask for money outright.

The highlight of my year are my Wish Trees. I work for a chain of restaurants in New England and I put a Wish Tree in two locations. Last year we brought in about 400 Christmas presents and this year about 600. I make all the tags, do all the pickups, storage, and delivery. It is a lot of work, but I can't begin to tell you what a car full of wrapped presents for needy kids does for your soul. It makes the season as merry as it can get! I just wish I could see all of those children on Christmas morning.

I have a few elderly woman in my neighborhood and during the summer, I have them over for an outdoor luncheon and they are a blast to chat with and I know they love it. It breaks up their boredom.

I find my time and big mouth have much more value than any money I might have. So, it doesn't have to cost anything but personal effort to give back or to be generous.

Today, I learned of an incredible gift of giving. A police officer was killed in the line of duty this week. One of our restaurants decided to close and host all the officers who came from around the country for the services for meals. Due to the sheer number, the local police didn't think the restaurant was large enough and gratefully declined, only to call later and ask if the restaurant would provide food at a larger location, and they gladly agreed. The staff and managers created meals for about 2000 officers in one place, working out of the closed restaurant and delivering to the location. Eunice would have been so proud of them!

You are all so wonderful and no matter how big or small the gesture, it is needed and recipients are always grateful.

I especially appreciate those of you who are good to your waitresses. It is my job, and it is a tough one. I make $2.63 an hour plus tips. Too often I am treated as a slave, not as a server, and I'm appalled at how rude some can be to me. So I am very grateful to those of you who understand what we go through and are generous to us.

In my line of work, the dishwashers are my heros and I treat them that way too. Without them, NOTHING happens in the restaurants and I do my best to make them feel appreciated.

Happy New Year!

Diane

I just paid the utility bills for a needy family - he has been out of work and his wife is working 2 jobs, and am buy groceries for them also. We are lucky that we have plenty and can help those in need.

My sis and I get used sewing machines at low prices. Then we fix them up and give them to women who can't afford one. We have a man in our neighborhood whom we help in various ways. And I feed a feral cat;if it's bowl gets empty, it cries outside the window.

I know I am a good listener because over the years my friends would call with their problems and I never cut them off, unfortunately I didn't have anyone who would do the same for me, have had lots fo medical and surgery problems. I always let anyone with a couple of items ahead of me at the grocery store, particularly young mothers or a business person. Hard to do more now at my age. :)

Thank you all for sharing your hearts with the rest of us on this thread. Rhonda, thanks for starting it. I shared some of the ideas in our newsletter at church. Seems like some people have a 'go big or go home' mentality and I wanted to show how much God will bless and multiply the little things that we can do! Inspiring! God bless you and have a very safe, healthy and happy New Year. ((((Hugs)))

This has been a wonderful thread to read! Thanks, Rhonda, for starting it!

I want to toot my Dad's horn. He was laid off and it took about a year to find another job (which he has!! Good news!) While he was out of work and searching for something else, he made his time very profitable in nonmonetary ways. I didn't know, because he'd never tell it himself, but he gave a few days a week to the local food pantry and gleaners and since he was free to do so, helped a fellow without a vehicle with rides to and from work so the fellow could actually have a job, to make the money needed to purchase transportation. I'm sure the prolonged period of time without work must have been stressful, but he just quietly used his time to serve others.

This year my Mom did something different at Christmas. She hung colorful card strips (kind of like bookmarks) on the Christmas tree, each card bearing one of our family's blessings. The tree was covered...we have been very blessed. On the dinner tables she decorated with smaller trees, each hung with little cards (bearing cardinals in my memory of her father, my grandfather). After prayer and dinner (and baby Jesus's birthday cake!) she invited us all to take a few cards. On each she had a suggestion for a small way to be a blessing to someone else. Almost all the ideas were free or very low cost. Like many of the little things mentioned here. Big gestures are wonderful, but gifts of smiles and time and listening are just as valuable to the people that need them!

I am so touched at how the Lord leads! This idea came to me and I acted on it. He allowed me to be apart of this. I love where it has gone with all the stories shared and ideas gathered. Please continue everyone!! Praise God for all the folks who care for others!!

On a very cold,windy,miserable day just before Christmas, I had to get a few things at the grocery. My fleece scarf was whipping around my face, as I looked for the place to put the basket.A young man,maybe 35 came up to me & said, I'll stow the cart for you.
He was a lifesaver! I didn't have to walk on the icy ruts & chance falling.It was soooo nice of him,a simple thank you didn't sound like much,but I sure did appreciate his help.

When we have family here, my computer is turned off....the better to listen & visit with them.

I bought a new jacket for a lady in our church who kept wearing an old flanel shirt with a huge hole in back of it. I took it as a Christmas gift so she wouldnt be embarased.

That was very nice of you.

I had a friend who sent me blades for my cutter.She sent me 10 packs.

A few weeks ago at the grocery store there was a challenged woman behind me who was so worried about being able to get all the things in her cart on the little money she had. She was soooo stressed out and anxious about it, and mentally challenged. The store clerk was very patient with her and I stood around after packing my groceries long enough to make sure she had enough money for the food she bought.
She did indeed have just enough to cover it all, but it was the beginning of the month, and I knew she wasn't going to make it thru the month with what she had purchased, and she had been so careful to get everything that was on sale. (they get so little money on disability) So I gave her some cash I had on hand to be able to do more groceries later. She was so pleased that it made my day!

I've made a fleece blanket,a bag for a wheelchair.The poor lady is dying of something i can't even spell.I'm going to be making a jean tote bag sometime today for my daughter.

Blessings to all of you. We are a generous nation after all.

My hubby and I work on Habitat for Humanity homes and I usually supply the lunches for the workers.

My oldest daughter lived in a mobile home we bought for her. When she moved into her house, I gave the trailer to a young struggling mom for $1, telling her that it was a "pay it forward". She had never heard of the concept so I gave her a copy of the movie along with the title.

I always tip 20% to wait staff and my hair dresser. I make it a point to tell a supervisor when an employee has done a good job.

I love to make quilts for the NICU at the local hospital and sometimes when I deliver them they let me rock a little one.

When my DIL's mom died, I went to the local grocery store to have a deli tray, fruit tray and salads made up for the family so they would have something at the house when they got home from making preparations for the funeral. The Deli guy informed me that they like 24-48 hour notice but said he would see what he could do. That deli manager went out of his way to accommodate me and had it all ready in 2 hours. I made sure his manager knew what an amazing thing he had done for me.

Smiles and a "hello" don't cost anything. A "Thank you" is also priceless. Holding doors, reaching the top shelf for someone in the store, these are all random acts of kindness that everyone should practice. There could be so much less anger in this world. Just taking time to "smell the flowers" and sharing with a friend or stranger.

Especially quilters and crafters :thumbup:

What an inspirational and touching discussion!!

When a friend and I go to lunch somewhere, we like to ask for the check of someone, elderly or someone that looks like they could use help, and pay for their food as we leave. I have also helped when someone doesn't have enough money at the check stand. I buy gift cards from the fast food places and hand them to people pushing their belongings down the street. At least I know they will have a hot meal that night.

I was very impressed with the Lady that gave her favorite coat to a homeless person. I'm going to do that this winter.

Recently I have been having some work done around the house by a young man. As we talked, I learned he has 3 year old twins, and his wife is a stay at home mom because they only have one car and sitter fees would be more than they could afford. He mentioned he would like to take the kids to the zoo, as he remembered going with his parents when he was younger. We live very close to the Wild Animal Park here in Southern California, so I went online and bought him a year's membership that comes with free parking and some other perks. When he came back on Monday, he was smiling and said they had the best time. The kids just laughed and squealed (his words) when they walked through the "rain forest" entrance with the birds all chirping and flying around them. And of course the Meercats. It felt so good, and I know they will enjoy it for the whole year and it was something that he could not have bought for his family.

It is nice to know we all share the generosity of "paying it forward".

Well, On Jan1, My neighbor's driveway still wasn't plowed from the Northeast Blizzard on the day after Christmas --The person who normally plows the drive truck broke down. Her driveway is over 200 feet long. I thought she was staying with her daughter who lives next door. Daughter is out of town. Anyway she phoned me asking for help finding a person to plow the drive. I networked everyone I know and another neighbor down the road came to the rescue. She came over the next day to thank me for my help and left she came back 2 minutes later--Her van had two flat tires--So I chauffered her to the Nursing Home where her Hubby is currently and then we shopped all afternoon and had a good time. Today I cut and sewed three 96" leaders w/zippers for a longarm frame for a friend who can't sew a straight seam--now maybe I can get some of my tops quilted. The last three days have been very busy for me And I really feel good about all I have done. Anne

My husband meets friends at a local fast food place a couple times a wk,for coffee.Just before Christmas,one of them asked a worker for a refill & she brought him hot chocolate.When the asst mngr asked how everyone was, & was told about the mistake,he said "oh,yes....that's "----" & she can barely hear since her hearing aid was mangled by her dog.

It was a short,sad story.The woman is a good worker who never misses a day & works any overtime she can get,maybe 30yrs old,raising 2 kids & making $100 over the amount allowed to get any help.Living on what she makes & very hard of hearing without a hearing aid would be a hard row to hoe.
When DH told me,I said, we've found a way to pay it forward.I was also very hard of hearing & needed very $$$ hearing aids.After a cochlear implant, I no longer use them.I put one (nearly new)in the original box, along with the directions booklet & a couple pks of batteries.
DH told her what it was & why I'd had it.....she was so surprised,but the next time he was there, she came out & hugged him....with tears in her eyes,told him how great it works.A few days later she handed him a Christmas card addressed to both of us,with a sweet thank you note to me.

Aw, I love this thread! I dont have any extra money this year to donate anywhere, I was really sad about that. I usually do send some money to our animal shelter, and our cat one. I couldnt even do that this year. I did make the shelter a raffel quilt this summer, and started another.
I DO try to smile at customers and REALLY help them out....I will take them to an item. I did teach one lady how to quilt too.
Then a girl at work who just moved her wanted to learn to quilt.We make minimum wage, and she couldnt afford a machine, even a cheap one.
WELL< BF and I were returning movies one night, and sitting beside the trash was a sewing machine in a cabnit, a Singer from probaly the 70s? BF stopped to grab it. I cleaned it up, and it worked, so I gave it to the girl at work. SHE WAS THRILLED! Made me feel so good!

CarrieAnne..........you DID donate this year.....you give your smile to everyone and you gave your knowledge and time to teach someone to quilt. And I believe that sewing machine was there for you to find. What a nice surprise for your co-worker!!

If everyone "donated" a smile and common courtesies, this world would be (and is) a wonderful place!

That is such a wonderful story! You CHANGED that woman's life. So awesome.

Diane

[quote=dmackey]I especially appreciate those of you who are good to your waitresses. It is my job, and it is a tough one. I make $2.63 an hour plus tips. Too often I am treated as a slave, not as a server, and I'm appalled at how rude some can be to me. So I am very grateful to those of you who understand what we go through and are generous to us.

In my line of work, the dishwashers are my heros and I treat them that way too. Without them, NOTHING happens in the restaurants and I do my best to make them feel appreciated.

Happy New Year!

Diane [quote]

We always try to be good to our waitresses :-) I get DH to give an extra generous tip if it looks like a particularly quiet day with few customers.

Professionals also appreciate a kind word. We are lucky enough to have a wonderful primary care physician and I told him so the other day. You could tell that it meant a lot to him to hear that.

So what courtesies have you offered lately or what kind act did you practice?

Does not smacking someone on the back of the head with a 2x4 clue bat count as a good thing? ::plants tongue firmly in cheek::

I stopped at the bus stop the other evening in the freezing snow, and offered a ride to a man. I had seen the bus broken down some blocks earlier; as is ended up, he needed to get to an apartment complex not too far past my street,; wife & children home sick, called in because of the snow, afraid of losing his job if he was late....It was bad out, but I have frontwheel drive, .... you know how you just get a feeling about people? I knew he was just a poor working stiff....he was very grateful. & I felt good.

Around here, one of the biggest acts of kindness you can do for someone on a daily basis is letting them out into traffic - we have some scary drivers who go out of their way to cut others off. I always appreciate it when someone lets me in or allows me to merge onto the freeway without fearing for my life, and try to show the same courtesy to others whenever I can.

You betcha!! I have alot of moments when I bite my tongue for not saying what I am thinking! LOL

I always give people a smile, sometimes it could make their day. I give a couple of my friends money when they need it, or go buy food for them. I give away alot of my things I don't need anymore. I always try to treat people like I want to be treated. The other day I was on my way to the store and stopped at a red light. I saw a woman jogging and also a man walking way further back then her. So, I turned my car around to ask the lady if she knew the man following her and found out it was her husband! He was just slower than her. But, I wanted to make sure she was O.K. That is just the kind of person I am.

I so believe that!

"If everyone "donated" a smile and common courtesies, this world would be (and is) a wonderful place!"

I truly believe most ppl pay it forward every day, every time they smile,every time they treat others with courtesy or say a kind word. Money has nothing to do with it.If we all try to treat ppl a little better, we'll all be the better for it.