Kindness, Week Eight

This week's acts of kindness were fun! I have some new info to share with you regarding ways you too can be kind and do nice things for others!

February 19: Gave a bookmark with a significant Bible verse to my friend Liz.

February 20: Signed up to receive emails from Prisoner Alert, and prayed for each prisoner listed there. Prisoner Alert is a website run by Voice of the Martyrs which lists Christians in other countries who are currently in prison for sharing the Gospel. Information is also provided so you can write to some of these prisoners, as well. The website lists some key phrases in the prisoner's language so you don't have to worry about translation issues. Of course, you don't have to send letters, it's just an extra nice thing you could do, if you are so inclined.

February 21: Left a fun bookmark (penguins that say "Reading Is Cool") in a picture book I got from the library. Since I work at the library, I know a lot of times we find stuff in books and keep it up at the desk for "lost and found" purposes, but I stuck this one in the book in such a way that I think it will go unnoticed, until a kid checks the book out and takes it home to read it. : )

February 22: Donated a dollar to the American Heart Association. How many times do you visit a store, go to use your credit or debit card, and the screen asks you if you want to make a donation to whatever cause? I know that Petsmart card readers ask if you want to donate to charities that help feed shelter animals. This day, I was at Walgreen's picking up a prescription, and hit the "Yes, I would like to donate" button. Easy peasy.

February 23: Organized a surprise for someone. I can't give more details on this one just yet, unfortunately! But when the surprise in question comes to fruition, I will definitely post about it! : )

February 24: Made a card for a friend I haven't seen in a long time. My friend Darlene hasn't been able to come to our last several Bible studies, sadly, and I miss seeing her. I got a card from her this weekend saying she had organized a "card shower" right after my surgery (so I'd get a get well soon card in the mail every day), but she got sick, and her husband was supposed to take care of mailing them. Then she got better, and found out that the cards were just hanging out in his car! I laughed when I read that. Anyway, I made her a card thanking her for thinking of me, telling her I miss her and that I hope we get to see each other soon.

February 25: Visited the Post Pals website and made a card for a sick kid in the UK. Post Pals is brilliant. I want to find out if we have something like that here in the US. Basically, Post Pals is a website that has a database of kids in the UK who are sick (cancer, cystic fibrosis, or a number of other illnesses that lead to frequent hospitalization.) They provide a profile for each of the kids, including when their birthday is, their favorite colors and activities, TV shows they like, and things like that. They also list any siblings they may have, and what the siblings like, so they can receive mail, too. Then there's a little biography of the child (written by a parent) with updates on his or her medical condition. Post Pals provides an address where you can send a card or package to the child you choose. You don't have to say much, you don't have to send a gift (although you totally could- it's up to you- and there are precious pictures on the website of children receiving gifts from their Post Pals!) You don't even have to make a regular commitment. Sending "post' to one of these kids can be a one-time thing, just a nice little card to say hi. I found a precious, bald-headed little girl named Caitlyn whose birthday is the day before mine. She loves pink and purple, princesses, and tea parties, and she has a little sister named Jessica. I found a pink card in my box of greeting cards from my closet, and wrote Caitlyn a note. I included some princess stickers (two sheets of pink, two sheets of purple) and a reminder to share them with her little sister! I love this program, and definitely plan to send more post to kids in the future!