Wednesday, December 11, 2013

26 Acts

The tragedy at Newtown was one year ago today.  Our country remains fractured around gun issues.  The families of the precious children lost that day are fractured, too.  So much hurt multiplied because one person's hurt turned to violence.

But we can multiply good, too.  Love is stronger than hate.  And it can start with me and my family.  

The Krosts will be completing 26 acts of kindness in the next two weeks until Christmas.  This time we are dividing the acts among our family members--the girls will each complete 4 acts of their choosing, Todd and I will complete the remaining 18.  

I've been so focused on shopping-wrapping-card addressing-elf moving-baking-decorating this month that I fear I've lost the Christmas spirit.  I'm taking this opportunity to fill my heart (and schedule) with something else, making room for Jesus.  

Here's what's on our list:
Maddie will complete:
1. Make Rainbow Loom bracelets and give away randomly
2. Make cards for nursing home residents 
3. Donate toys to local charity
4. Bake cookies and pass out to members of our congregation

Ava will complete:
5. Make holiday ornaments and give away randomly
6. Make cards for nursing home residents 
7. Donate toys to local charity
8. Leave quarters on gumball machines 

Todd will complete:
9. Donate items to a local food pantry 
10. Bring coffee/donuts to the construction workers across the street
11. Invite Ava's classmate, who's parents both work, on a play date
12. Go caroling to shut in members on the congregation 
13. Clean off a stranger's snowy car
14. Bring a treat to the lady at the post office
15. Send an encouraging note to a seminary student
16. Hide encouraging notes in books at the seminary library
17. Donate old towels to our local animal shelter

Christina will complete:
18. Buy a candy bar for the cashier @ Walmart
19. Hide kind notes in library books
20. Pay for a coffee for the person behind me at the coffee shop
21. Bring goodies to the fire station
22. Write encouraging notes to women at local domestic violence shelter
23. Send cards to service men/women
24. Let someone go ahead of me in the checkout line
25. Send an encouraging note to the girls' teachers and support staff
26. Leave treats for our garbage collectors


We will include these tags with our acts of kindness.  Who knows?  Maybe others will be inspired to join us in completing random acts of kindness.  Will you?
http://www.milkandcookiesblog.com/wp-content/uploads/downloads/2012/12/26-Acts.pdf

Tags taken from www.milkandcookiesblog.com



Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Adventures of Eleanor the Elf 2013

Our Elf on the Shelf is back!  Click on the link below to see what she's been up to:



Welcome back, Eleanor!  And feel free to stay as long as you'd like-- my kids never wake up for school as enthusiastically as they do in December, because they immediately start looking for you.  This plan backfires on weekends, but it's worth it.  




 
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