Act of Kindness – Week #19!!

“…It is more blessed to give than to receive!” Acts 20:35

      October 18^th, 2014 was a beautiful start to the 27^th year of my life! I have always really liked my birthday and still get excited about it like a little kid! (I pray that I can celebrate each birthday with a smile on my face because it is a blessing to start another year of life! I do not want to ever complain about turning a certain age because some people are not given a long life.) My Husband and family are awesome about celebrating my birthday each year with me also! My birthday was on a Saturday this year (won’t be on a Saturday again until 2025) so I did not take off work like I usually do. The other great thing about a Saturday birthday is that the other people in your family are typically not in school or at work…so I am happy to say that my birthday ended up being basically a whole day celebration! I chose lunch at Josephine’s Tea Room, explored and walked around Fort Belle Fontaine in Missouri, Mom made one of my favorite’s for dinner (chili), enjoyed a fire pit in the backyard and then of course had ice cream cake and presents! I really enjoyed the day full of time with my Husband, immediate family and puppy dog!

 

      

    Let me add some side notes quickly and then bring it back to this current blog post!...When I first started thinking of and doing a new intentional act of kindness each week and then blogging about it to encourage other people to do the same, I got asked by several people how I came up with the idea or what lead me to starting this “Let Love Overflow” blog. There were many reasons (see the first two blog posts from April 2014 if you are interested) but one of the main reasons was because I was noticing more and more that it is so easy to be focused on only your day and your schedule and barely notice, if notice at all, the people who you come into contact with each day. Now in my opinion, it is totally fine for a special day or special event to be centered on the person or the people an event is honoring! It is great for a wedding day to be all about the bride and groom, a baby shower to be all about the mommy-to-be and a birthday to be all about the birthday boy or girl! With truly believing that though, my 27^th birthday was maybe one of my best birthdays yet because I intentionally took action on my special day to show kindness to two complete strangers!

*The act of kindness this week…show kindness by paying for a stranger’s meal at a restaurant!!

*My experience with the act of kindness….The Act of Kindness – Week # 5 was paying for the car’s order behind you in a drive thru, but I wanted to pay for a stranger’s meal at an actual sit down and order restaurant! My birthday was a great day to do so for the first time! I also recently have purchased a personalized stamp (thank you, Mary!) that stamps “Acts of Kindness”! I made a card like the picture below the morning of my birthday in anticipation for this new intentional act of kindness!

     My Husband, Dad, Mom and I then went to have lunch at Josephine’s Tea Room to start off my birthday! It was a very full restaurant, and I am thankful we were seated towards the back because I was able to quickly glance around to find a table who already had their food! I noticed two ladies eating at a table for two alongside the wall and decided they were the ones! After our waitress took our drink order, I handed her the homemade card and my credit card and filled her in on what I wanted to do. She helped find the correct waitress for the table I described and it all went smoothly! I was asked if I knew the ladies and when I responded “no”, I could tell it took our waitress a little by surprise. I explained a little to her about how I just want to show kindness!

     Later on, I met the waitress for the ladies’ table since I had to sign the credit card slip. She shared some with me about how showing kindness does not just have an effect on the person who is receiving it but the person who is giving it too! I could not agree more! And lastly, a met a third waitress during my meal because she was asking if I had more of the homemade cards since only one of the ladies could take the card home that I made. I have learned my lesson...next time I will make several homemade cards just in case!

     It is my prayer  that my homemade note and paying for the ladies’ meals showed kindness and love and that the three waitresses that I talked too also are now encouraged to show kindness and love to the people they come into contact with at the restaurant and to strangers anywhere they go as well!!

Please comment below with your own experience with this act of kindness! I would really enjoy hearing about it!!