Edit** it didn't take long but now you can be challenged to "surprise someone". Check out Jenn's blog if you want to try it out. And guess what it's free and she is even giving away free stuff! Ok now that is so nice! Thanks Jenn for putting it together.Wow - what a fun bunch of comments yesterday - a million thank you's. It made me realize this group of women have so much good they can do - dang we could move mountains. WE are AWESOME!
I want to make sure no one thinks I am lobbying for comments on my blog as much I wanted to encourage to make that comment on the blog that you never have or when you really feel like you have something to add to just add it! I do not read blogs like I used to, in fact the only way I have been able to justify my blog time is by cutting back on reading and doing it in the early morning before the kids get up. So I am not in anyway thinking you must read blogs to have a blog.
The wheels in my head have been turning since I randomly through out the challenge to go out of your way and compliment a stranger. Here is what has been running through my head the idea is for the taking. I don't have time to do it, but if there is someone out there who wants it is is yours.
Someone could focus their blog (or start one) on a weekly, bi-monthly or monthly challenge, kind of like Lelly's SPT only it would focus on doing something surprising - even to yourself.
Here are my random thoughts.
Challenges could include
- writing a thank you note to someone who would never expect it and maybe one you have been thinking in your head but have not taken the time to do it.
- track down an former school teacher and let them know the great affect they had on you
- leave something on a neighbors door (thus the idea for the logo above)
- the next time you leave the store tell the manager something you enjoyed
- pick a family member and write tell them why you love being in their family
- send your spouse or friend a note at wort
- buy lemonade from any kid selling it on the street
- pay for the car behind you in the drive through line at a fast food restaurant. I did this few weeks ago and the whole day I kept thinking the whole day of what that lady behind me must have been thinking when she pulled up and the guy said, "that car that just drove off paid for yours and said to have a good day" I was happy her bill was only $3.00 and she was not picking up lunch for the office.
So, if you want the idea take it! If you want to leave suggestions on how it could be done leave them. It does not have to be big things just little small gestures.
22 comments:
I love the graphic! I know how much fun it is to get a little surprise 'something' on the doorstep, in the mail, or in my e-mail inbox. I will try to think of one thing every week to do for someone whether anonymously or not (notes in the mail mean more when they are signed). This will be fun for my kids too. Maybe we can start a 'pay it forward' movement! Thanks for the motivation!
Kristi,
I know that Jill got you started on making your blog (am I right I think?) Was it hard? Do you have to know lots of computer "lingo" and such to start?!!! Where do you turn? thanks in advance, ashley in tennessee
great idea.. love the picture at the top.. your posts are extra interesting to me this week as we were asked to speak in church sunday on serving our neighbors.. as part of the 3 fold mission of the church.. so thank you thank you for your ideas.. and you may have just written a lot of my talk for me.. I am sure you don't care that I share your ideas.. thank you thank you!
I have been thinking aboiut your post ever since I read it yesterday. I would love to take this on and am thinking about what all that would mean for me. I was going to write a post today and link to yours from yesterday. Thanks for all the great ideas.
Me again...
I just wrote a post over at my blog about it and hope people that are interested can leave a comment.
http://wilson-six.blogspot.com/2007/07/random-act-of-kindness-pay-it-forward.html
These are all great ideas. Paying for the car behind you in the drive-thru is brilliant. That had to make her day!
I also have to apologize if I came off as a complainer yesterday. I was feeling like I was in a pressure cooker all day and I should probably just keep my thoughts to myself when I am feeling that way.
I like this idea. I would love to be the one to do it, but I always start off very excited about something and then never do it. Like the spt challenge. I say i will do it every week and then I don't over and over again. Jenmomof4 I haven't looked at your blog yet, but I am going there next. If you are doing this I will be there to work on the challenge. At least as long as I can. Great Idea and much needed in this world. I like the stephenson families idea of it being a 'pay it forward' movement. Cool
Kristi
I just added a contest on my blog to help spread the word. Check it out.
Kristi-
This comment has more to do with your last post but I will try to compliment strangers and do random acts of kindness...your post is wonderful motivation.
I am a frequent reader but rare commentor on your blog. I guess I figure there are so many other people commenting already...lame I know. My sister, Stacey and I enjoy your blog and often will say to one another..."Did you read Kristi's blog today?" :) Thanks for all your inspiration!
I wanted to comment about Annie Kate and reading. I had a similar problem with my daughter Reilly last summer.
Last year Reilly decided that she didn't like to read! GASP!! I felt that this had more to do with the books she was choosing than with actually not liking to read. I felt that summer would be a great opportunity to get her to "enjoy" reading. When the little guys would go down for a nap I would have Reilly read for an hour...and it often stretched to two hours. I made a deal with her...If she would read 10 books of my choosing I would reward her with something at the end of summer. I think she wanted to go out to eat some place of her own choosing with me (She is very easy to please). She did it and I am amazed at the results. This last school year she read ALOT. This summer we decided to do it again and she is reading so fast I am going to have to add a few more books. Her reward this year: a $20 pedicure (again...easy to please). This has worked like a charm and I had to bug her to think of a "reward" she just wanted my "book list". Last summer I figured who could say they didn't like to read after sobbing through "Where the Red Fern Grows"...and I was right!! (I pick books I have read so we can discuss them later).
Infact just today on my blog I posted Reilly's 2007 summer reading list and her summer reading list from last summer because I had several requests from people to do so. Check it out! It is at the very bottom of the "Good Vibrations" post...there are some great reading suggestions for Annie Kate and they are great books to read out loud together too!
I hope she has a great summer of reading and I LOVED your idea of emailing the author!! I think that would be so fun to do!
oops my blog is found at www.springdellgirl.blogspot.com
i love the blogosphere! the ideas just bounce around until they land in the right laps!
awesome idea, kristi. can't wait to see where it goes.
you know its kind of weird how this happens, but last night I found a love note on my bedroom door from Lindsey. She also put one under my pillow and Ben's and a note taped to my dresser. It was so sweet and totally made my night. The power of a simple note or kind word is amazing! Anyway, once again you have come up wuth a fabulous idea!
I am such skeptic. When I read the part about the fast food, I thought of the McD cashier pocketing $3 and making the next person pay in full. But because they have controls on that sort of thing it would not be possible.
Kristi,
I have an idea on how to host it. I'll e-mail it to you and see what you think.
Love,
Jane
I've already thought of something I need to do, but now I need to make the time to do it!
We have a lovely, lovely, lovely guy at our sister church called Richard, who fled Rwanda to come to England and study for a degree in Theology. As he's based at our sister church, I saw v.little of him as the months went by - then years. I bumped into him at the church office the other week and he asked how Erin was by name! He remembered her name! I was soooo touched that he'd remembered her, but DURRR didn't actually say, 'Gosh, Richard, I'm really delighted you remembered her name'. I should've done that there and then.
Anyway, I've just finished the DTP on our August parish magazine, and have laid out a small piece which congratulates Richard on gaining a First Class Honours Degree in Theology. He's gone back to Rwanda for the time being to see his family who stayed there, and then he'll be coming back to GB.
Instead of just laying out the piece, I've realised that I must make the effort to make him a little Congrats/Well Done card and maybe a little present. What present?! It's a tremendous achievement to gain First Class in any degree, but Richard has done so well.
Rwanda is a boiling pot of civil war, corruption, disease and malnutrition. Richard himself saw terrible atrocities against people he knew and loved. I think I have really overlooked what a fantastic person he is, and I really must sort that out.
Fab thread, Kristi. I'll be interested to see the range of acts of kindness, from tiddly little niceties to great big, awesome gestures!
I think you're on to something great here!
I have actually been the recipient of a drive-thru gesture, it was actually our neighbor in front of us and when we pulled up to the window the cashier told us that our order was 'already paid for' I'm so glad that we knew who it was so that we could thank him but I'm sure he would have been okay anyways, it's so awesome to recieve a random act of kindness.
And you never know if that was desperately needed either, for us it was actually our last few dollars that we had, I've just been too sick to cook and so it was a night when we had nothing and we were going to use our last few dollars before pay day.
you are amazing! only you could spark something so big and wide spread....and positive. way to use blog power!
Love this!!! I wish I had time to make a long comment today. This is my life! I ask myself, and now I ask my children, at the end of the day, Was the world a better place today because of your choices? Even if is was giving someone a smile, opening a door for someone, clearing your dishes without being asked, etc. I try to help my children understand that, even with seemingly small positive acts, the world is a better place with each one.
If I was more blog-computer saavy, I would host this in a second.
You are on to something fabulous. Can't wait to start doing little things, just because.
never in a million years did i ever ever think that i would learn, get inspired, get movtivated, get complimented by blogging. such a great community so glad i decided to blog. thanks for the challenge.
this is such a great idea. a few weeks ago Posey had a lemonade stand/art sale. She had been talking about it for MONTHS. We live on a cul-de-sac and don't get much traffic. Of course, she was in depsair because no on really came. I called a friend who quickly came with 3 kids in tow and bought several pieces of 'art' and lots of lemonade. I vowed that day to ALWAYS buy a cup of lemonade when kids are selling it. It truly makes their day!
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