My kids live a pretty charmed life.
In fact, they have A LOT more opportunity and frankly, STUFF than either Andy or I ever did as kids.
I was raised by immigrant grandparents who filled our home with love in broken English and traditional Portuguese soup, but had little for all the gadgets on TV. There wasn’t a Wal Mart in our town when I was growing up, but there was a Woolworth’s and a Pick N Save. I remember those fondly. If I was really lucky, my grandma would let me pick out a die cut wooden trinket for a few cents and I would take it home and painstakingly paint it. But not before ogling at the Barbies in ballgowns and the new gray boxes called Nintendo.
Andy was raised by a single mom who worked hard for her boys but money was always tight, as is the custom for single moms. Odd jobs at the church helped supplement holidays and even the youngest helped to “earn” a few dollars.
While neither of us ever went hungry, and our childhoods were still filled with toys I yearn for in nostalgia, there were no Disney annual passes, name brand shoes, skate lessons, or nights out to the movies.
And while we are able to give our children more than we were given, there is always a tension there. A desire to balance. Teach them the discipline of Wait. And always always always encourage compassion. Because the greatest of these is Love.
I want them to have beautiful hearts.
Before they choose professions and college majors. Before they say please and thank you. Before they sit quietly at the dinner table.
My main desire as a parent is to encourage their hearts to be ones that are soft and kind to others. Andy and I look for ways to foster that in them constantly. Maybe it will work. Maybe it won’t. But we are trying. In an imperfect, bumbling, messy way…we are trying.
So when Savings.com emailed me asking if I would write a sponsored post sharing that Toys R Us has a 15% off any regularly priced item, I had an idea. While I normally don’t share coupon type deals here, I do like to share love.
So I asked my contact if they would be willing to give me an advance on my sponsored post fee…in the form of a Toys R Us gift card. So that we could go Toys for Tots shopping.
I was THRILLED when they agreed, and less than 24 hours later, an e-card was in my inbox waiting to be spent on Love.
I took just the Bigs, and we stopped at Starbucks on our way.
Upon ordering their very first kid’s hot chocolate (did you know they have kids sizes? I had no idea.), we talked about our task. How we were going to buy toys for other kids. Kids who’s mommies and daddies might not have enough to buy them presents. How God calls us to share. We talked about sharing toys with friends, and sharing money too. How this trip to the toy store wasn’t about them. They would get nothing. Not even something out of the dollar bin. Okay?
(Incidentally I was hit by the irony of standing in a Starbucks…the poster child for American excess…ordering fancy drinks on our way to buy toys for others. GAH! Now I regretted the cocoa stop. Life is so complicated.)
We started in the girls section, where Lucy painstakingly picked out all things pink for “her kids”.
She was meticulous and often wanted me to lay out her selections on the floor of the aisles so that she could assess her choices and made adjustments as needed.
Thanks to a BUNCH of buy 1, get 1 50% off sales, the cart filled to the brim a vision in pink and purple and sparkles.
And she was so pleased.
So I sent Henry for a second cart. What became The Boy Cart.
Even more buy 1, get 1 50% sales helped us pack that second cart full. Only this one was filled with Bey Blades and Hot Wheels and these Dagedar things that were not only on clearance, but somehow buy 1, get TWO free. We cleared the shelves. It was awesome.
The kids took turns filling the donation bins item by item as the checker rang up each toy.
By the end of our purchase, we had the bins filled to the tip top, and a receipt a mile long.
We spent every penny of our gift card, and then a few extra, and bounded out of the store with hearts filled bigger than our carts ever were, nothing but a really long receipt to show for our trip.
The kids skipping through the parking lot, so excited at how much stuff we were able to buy. So thrilled with how many kids were sure to have at least one gift under their tree this year. So happy to know they helped.
“Mommy, I hope my kids are happy. Because Mommy, that’s so sad and not fair if they don’t get any presents.”
“I know Lu. It’s sad. But that’s why we have to always try. That’s why we have to do things that aren’t for us all the time.”
I truly haven’t had that much fun in a long time. So much so that I want you to have some of that same fun too. So I have an idea.
****WINNER HAS BEEN SELECTED. GIVEAWAY CLOSED.****
I’m going to give away a $100 Toys R Us gift card to one of YOU. Not for Christmas shopping…but for Toys for Tots shopping. This giveaway is not sponsored…it’s my own money that I’m using to buy the card.
Here are the “rules”:
1. Before entering, please be sure there is a Toys R Us near you, and that you have time to shop at in the very near future.
2. You must have a social media account of some kind. Whether its a personal Facebook page, Twitter, Instagram, whatever. Just some way to share at least one photo of your trip.
3. Take a pic and tag me (mostly because I’m excited to see than as “proof”.)
4. Shady people need not apply. Truthfully, this is basically on the honor system. But the way I see it, if you want to take my money, allocated for children in need, stage a photo, share it publicly, and really have loaded the bags into your car instead of the donation bins…well, at that point, you’ll have to take it up with the Big Guy. Because I just can’t even.
So leave me ONE comment telling me:
WHAT WAS THE NICEST THING SOMEONE HAS EVER DONE FOR YOU?
That’s it. One comment. I’ll choose someone at random on Wednesday, December 11.
And let’s not forget what started this all: 15% off any regularly priced item at Toys R Us.
Pretty sweet.
Disclosure: post sponsored by Savings.com.
Latest posts by jeannett (see all)
- Dirt in a Jar, Laundry Scientists, and Clean Water - October 20, 2015
- Because Cake. - October 11, 2015
- How to design a luxury bathroom for less - August 12, 2015
Last summer I had a bit of a health scare. A mammogram had revealed a lump, and I had to go in for surgery (it turned out later to be benign). I happened to have a dentist appointment the same morning as my surgery, and told my dentist about how nervous I was. She had been battling breast cancer for some time. She gave me a big hug and declared me “the patient of the day”, and gave me a basket of goodies which included a Starbucks gift card, mug, and scented candles. I’m sad to say that our dentist passed away from her long struggle with breast cancer 3 months ago. I will always remember her generosity and how she raised my spirits that day.
The nicest thing anyone has ever done for me would be when my family was pretty broke a family gave us tons of presents so that when we woke up on Christmas we would have presents under the tree, along with meals to feed my sisters and I. I remember this every year and try to do the same for other families not that I’m old enough and able to.
I was once a recipient of toys for tots (I think a few times, but once I really remember). I was a teenager and going through a really hard time in life. I opened up a purse and some nail polish from someone I will never know. Joy filled my heart and face. It was perfect! But what I really remember about that time is the hope that it gave me. Hope that I didn’t feel in a long time. Hope that someone cared. That the world at least in times and moments wasn’t as dark as I thought it was. It would mean a ton for me to be able to fill my shopping cart and offer hope. Because for many kids it really is so much more than toys.
In the early years of our marriage, we were struggling financially a lot. One year when we weren’t sure what we were going to do for Christmas for our little one, they gave us enough money to make sure we could get gifts for him and others as well. It was beyond anything I expected and I was so thankful.
P.S. – I was bawling my eyes out before I even started reading your post. You have the best heart. We are trying to teach our kids the same thing, to be kind always. Thank you thank you thank you for sharing.
How can I possibly pick just ONE nice thing someone has done for me? My husband warming the car up for me on a cold morning? My parents telling me I’m the best daughter ever? My 24 year old son telling me he loves me over the phone when we’re 500 miles apart? I think WORDS are the nicest thing people can do for me. Words warm the heart, heal the soul and encourage me to say good things too. I would be honored to spend this gift card on Toys for Tots.
When I was growing up, my family did not have a lot of money. My grandmother raised me and one year, lost her job. I remember about three Christmases, a local couple with no small children would SHOWER me with gifts. I can remember getting some of the most awesome clothes and other things that I needed PLUS one or two really awesome toys. That generosity blessed me and has always stuck with me and I have always looked forward to passing that on to another child once I became able. As young adults with no children yet, my husband and I practice generosity as much as we can and feel led. I would JUMP at this opportunity to give Christmas gifts to other children who might be in the situation that I was in as a child. And I agree, this might be the best giveaway ever.
This made my day! Whether or not I get picked, I’m still going to donate!
My best friend in college is well off, but has the biggest heart ever (as do her parents!) I paid my own way, and money was always tight. When it came one to find an apartment, her parents paid part of my rent so I could afford to stay in the town I went to college in and not move back to my home town. She is still my best friend, and a day doesn’t go by that I don’t count my blessings that I met her and her family.
I nicest thing was the year my husband died and I still had 2 kids at home one 10 and still believing in Santa, no money to celebrate Christmas. St Vincent de Paul brought me a box of food to cook dinner and gifts for the children. Someone else brought gifts too and we had a. Beautiful Christmas. We regularly shop for kids in need because we understand.
The sweetest thing someone ever did for me was to send me a gift card and an at home spa kit when I was recovering from ankle surgery. I was off work for two months and it was wonderful to be able to put some healthy food in my fridge and have an home spa day after not showering for two months.
Of courses giver was anonymous so all I know is that it was someone in my hometown thanks to the post mark.
Tonya´s last blog post ..…
Selecting the nicest thing someone has done for me is hard. My mind goes numb and draws a blank at first. But this happened rather recently. I accidentally met a mom at a playground a few months ago. She has had a rough road here in San Diego and sought out all forms of assistance. Her husband was laid off after moving and couldn’t find a job for more than three months. Miraculously one day he finds not one but two jobs and in one months time would make all that they spent in the last three. Randomly at the play ground one day that week, knowing our situation has been quite rough this year, she offered to take me grocery shopping with the food stamps she no longer needed. She cancelled the welfare, but you keep what you already have. She wanted someone who really needed it to use it. I was so surprised and thankful I was in tears, on the playground. Not cute I know.
Gwendolyn T´s last blog post ..Whole Wheat Almond Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
My nicest thing is when the grandparents buy extra presents for the kids so they can have nicer Christmases and birthdays than we can give them.
When my son was born, as a complete surprise, my husband and I were both still in college…a woman at my mother’s church learned of our predicament. About the time my son started outgrowing every stitch of clothing at an Olympic rate, she cleaned out her attic and gave us every box of her son’s hand-me-downs. For free. For the next 3 years (the time it took us to both graduate and me get a job) if we needed anything, it was in those boxes. In the right size. It was like Elijah and the widow’s oil and flour. We still reflect on the miracle of the Greta Boxes. Because of her generosity, God had the opportunity to work a miracle.
When I was a teenager, I had a health scare, and they really really thought it was an aggressive cancer (they had tests that showed positive for this cancer). My mother (who had been a semester away from finishing medical school many years ago in another country) researched for weeks and months, she fought doctors and nurses when she felt they were wrong, she got us kicked out of some hospital departments when she took a stand, we went to countless 3rd-and 4th – and even 8th opinions. At one point she was even ready to pull her whole retirement account so that she could get me the best treatment available (thank God though I didn’t even need it). Even though I know she is my mother, and fighting for your childs health is something that all good mothers do, she saved my quality of life from years of radiation and chemotherapy. She was willing to sacrifice her sanity, sleep, and fight with the medical system (which is tough, cause I think everyone wants the hospital staff to like them) when they were wrong. She finally found doctors who were able to listen and diagnose and help me get my life together again (there had been days I couldn’t walk, and nights where all I did was vomit). In many ways she saved my life, and when the time comes even though she insists that I don’t I am going to try to fight just as much for her life. This is the nicest thing someone has ever done for me, because it will be almost impossible for me to ever pay her back for it. It has brought us closer in ways I could never imagine. You are right, the greatest of these things is love. I have always thought that it would be so neat to go buy toys for boys and girls in need (I would bring my little cousins with me to teach them about giving), and would be honored to be chosen! If not though, I hope who ever does is richly blessed by the experience.
I honestly can’t pinpoint 1 particular instance of niceness done to me. I have a very blessed life, so thankfully, I haven’t had the need to be the recipient of nice acts such as these being shared. I’m entering the drawing though, because I think it would be such a wonderful experience for my 3 kids. You’re awesome for doing this!
What a wonderful giveaway from you~ It truly warms my heart & brings tears to my eyes! I would love to participate!
As a single parent, raising 2 boys on my own & struggling we were blessed with many angels who came to our rescue at various times of need!
The most wonderful thing anyone ever did for me was a BIG one! Our heater/AC had died & we’d gone without heat all winter. With summer coming it was impossible to live in our house without AC.
My older son was a freshman in high school & dating a girl in our neighborhood. I knew her mom from our days at library story-time. She & her husband PAID for a new Heating/AC unit for our house, with the help of one of their church members who installed it! What a Blessing!
This is just one of the many things people did for us that helped us through the dark times…
We learned how big the hearts of others are when Ben was in and out of the hospital so much. They not only fed us and gave us donations to pay for mounting medical bills, but they genuinely cared about my son. They asked about him constantly. They prayed with us. They talked to him. They loved us in word and deed. We would love to be a part of giving back. Toys r us, here we come! Thank you for your giving heart!
Laurie´s last blog post ..snow day & another milestone
My oldest was born with a cleft palate, so it was impossible for me to breastfeed him. I had just quit my job right before he was born so I could stay home with him. We didn’t have any family that was able to watch him and we definitely couldn’t afford daycare. So needless to say we were really broke.
I remember there was one week we were really struggling. Formula was running low and we had no money to buy more. I went to Walmart, bought a small can using a check. Now this was back in the day when you wrote a check and it took a couple of days to clear. But even that can of formula was only going to last no more than 2 days.
Someone from my mom’s work heard of our predicament. She literally went straight out and bought us the biggest can of formula I had ever seen. It was truly a blessing to us. It lasted at least 2 weeks. I felt so humbled and grateful.
My daughter is just over a year old and I am pregnant with baby #2. During the first trimester I felt very tired and sick and my daughter was transitioning from 2 naps to 1 so she basically wasn’t sleeping. My friend Mallory let me come over to her house and nap while she watched my little one and her two little boys.
Liz´s last blog post ..Our Growing Peanut
A friend took me to a concert a month after my dad died to cheer me up.
I was at a local amusement park with my kids. I usually just buy the passes for them to ride and I was on a line to buy additional tickets when the people in front of me gave me an additional all day pass they had apparently won. I was able to go on all of the rides with my kids that day that I usually skip and we made a lot of great memories.
Can’t think of one particular stand-out thing. I have also had many wonderful things happen to me in my life, and I am working on trying to teach my 4 year old the value of helping others. We are going shopping this week for his school’s toys-for-tots drive, maybe I will have more in our budget??
My mother was a single mother of three and she did not have it easy. I grew up in a small town of about 2000 people. I was the middle child, my older brother had already graduated and left town, my baby sister had not even started kindergarten yet. I had lived there my whole life until I graduated high school and went off to college. I knew through high school that my mom was struggling, but I never knew the full extent of it until after I moved out. My mom fought sooo hard to stay living in a home she couldn’t afford, because she knew that if we didn’t live there we would have to move to a different city and she would separate me from the kids I grew up with. After I graduated, I found out that our neighbor would sneak into our garage and put food into the deep freeze we had in there. She would also leave presents around our birthdays and we always had an extra Easter basket on Easter morning! My mom knew the whole time it was her but never knew what to say. She was such a nice neighbor and now that I know this, it makes me even more thankful that we had her there. She was so sweet to make sure we never went without. My mom tired so hard and finally a couple months after I graduated the house was foreclosed on. So I guess in this story I have two people to be thankful for, our wonderful neighbor, and my mom for sacrificing so much just so I wouldn’t have to change schools.
My story involves a Starbuck’s too. The day after the Sandy Hook shooting, I was in line at Starbuck’s in a bit of a funk just taking it all in. (I was in no way affected except for the fact that I’m a mama, so the world’s kids are my kids too and I had a precious Kindergartener who came home to me safely.) When I got up to the window, the person in front of me had paid for my drink. It was the first time that had ever happened to me before, so I asked to pay it forward (or behind, in this case) to the next car. The cashier told me with tears in her eyes that I was the 34th person in a row to have done that. THIRTY FOURTH. Then I started crying too. It felt like God saying, “You’re going to be ok. There are still good people in the world. Love wins.”
I randomly mentioned my birthday to a client one day, and she remembered and brought me a cake and card a few days before!
Oh my goodness, there are so many but one really sticks out. Not so much for me but for my kids. My youngest son has a horrible neuromuscular disease called mitochondrial disease. These kiddos are not generally expected to make it past their teen years, and it’s a tough, painful, doctor filled life. Well, we were raising donations for the UMDF organization not quite two years ago. My two older boys, ages 10, and 8 at that time wanted to help so they walked around our neighborhood telling our neighbors about their brothers disease and did such an amazing job at it! I felt like that was the nicest thing anyone had done for me, because they were helping their brother, my baby boy, age 6 at the time. So I get this phone call from a neighbor I didn’t know very well and she asked if my oldest could come down because she didn’t have a chance to see him. He put on khaki pants, a suit jacket, tie and went out the door. Her husband talked with him about what a great thing he was doing and gave him a check for $1,000.00! That donation was amazing, and it encouraged my boys to try harder and harder. By the end they had raised nearly $7,000.00. It sure does feel good to give to others. Those who are sick, less fortunate, even our friends. Feels so good to give! Feels so good to be blessed by others giving as well. Love what you’re doing.
When I was put on bedrest for 3 month with preeclampsia when I was pregnant with my first child, people brought us meals almost every day–for 3 months! Women from my church came over and cleaned my house, did my laundry, just visited with me to help me not be so bored. People sent me care packages with fun things to do. I felt incredibly loved and blessed despite my circumstances.
Neither of my babies came home from the hospital sleeping. And when my daughter came home, my three year old son cried for three weeks. When I was at my wits end with my new baby, and a historical two year old, who was having such a hard time adjusting to his new big brother role-I called my Mom. I didn’t even have to say anything, she could hear both kids crying and just said “your dad and I will be right over.” (yay for living 1/4 mile from Nana & Bumpa!!) They came over within minutes, and both walked straight to my two year old, and made him feel so special. They bypassed the new baby-because the two year old needed them. He stopped crying, and they stayed until after he was asleep. It did my exhausted Mama heart good to see him getting loved on.
Kelly´s last blog post ..Fall Pictures
When my children were small we were in a car accident along with my parents just two weeks before Christmas. My mother was very seriously injured and I had a broken ankle. I was not finished shopping, wrapping or doing any of the other million things that needed to be done. I knew I just had to let it go because there was no way it was happening that year. Two days before Christmas I sat on the edge of my bed crying my eyes out with the frustration, sadness, and worry of it all, when my doorbell rang. A friend from church stood there with a breakfast casserole for Christmas morning and hugs and prayers that helped me make it! She has passed away, but I will never forget her kindness!
A few years ago when I was pregnant with our twins and our daughter was almost 3, my husband had just graduated from school and didn’t have a job yet. We were short on money for Christmas gifts. On Christmas eve we had a knock on our door at about 10 o’clock at night. My husband and I both looked at eachother puzzled about who could be knocking on our door that late. We opened the door and found gifts sitting on our porch. There was one for each of us and one for our new unborn babies. There was also a stocking filled with a roll of cash. My husband and I both cried and were so thankful for the gifts that someone had brought us. We never found out who it was, but we’re so grateful for our angels that Christmas eve. We hope to he able to pass along that tradition with our children.
After my son was born I was showered in love from people in my community. There was food and clothes and company. I lost my job when I was pregnant so it was such a blessing to be surrounded by wonderful people who cared.
When I was little we got toys from K-mart donations ( i guess we didn’t have a toys for tots). One year I was gifted with a small gold ring shaped like a bow. My first piece of real jewelry. I remember feeling so special, that someone would gift someone they didn’t know with something so expensive and nice.
We didn’t have a lot of money when I was a girl and I can’t even began to count the ways that god provided through His people. Although it may not be the greatest, one of these gifts stands out in my mind the most. My great aunt and uncle sent us money for something fun and my parents chose to take us to a movie. I remember the pure joy of that surprise. I am grateful that my parents explained the blessing that this gift was and chose to use it specifically for us.
well, i just had to enter because my very nice thing happened TODAY! a little back story… my 9 year old has CP and had major hip surgery on friday… as in let me cut your daughters femurs in half and pin them back into place. sigh. any way she has been eying a way overpriced item in the amazing gift store and well even though we wanted too… we just can’t. and so this morning when i woke up i had an email from a sweet lady that wanted to buy Alaina anything that she wanted in the gift shop NO MATTER THE PRICE. instant tears… i was immediately reminded how no matter how silly a request may seem to me that i should faithfully pray to my creator. not saying i will get what i want if i pray, but i didn’t even think to pray because to me i thought it was silly and yet he provided for my daughter through a friend and for the first time in 2 days she smiled… i’m sure you can relate with having your daughter in the hospital… watching them suffer is just absolutely the worst! so even though i don’t dare breath in her direction because sleep has finally found her i sit here with a thankful heart because God saw a need and used someone that heard the Holy Spirits prompt and followed it! and she now has a cute little grocery cart and every time i look at that thing i will be reminded of God’s goodness!
Trish´s last blog post ..Whatever Craft Weekend (October 2013)
I would love to do this with my boys!
Last year around Christmas time I was standing in line at the commissary (military speak for grocery store) waiting to pay. I was about 73 weeks pregnant and had my two other boys in tow. I don’t think we looked too poor in spirit (if ya know what I mean), but the truth is that I wasn’t spending a whole lot of time getting dolled up at that point in my life, or masking my exhaustion. ANYWAY, a woman came over and handed me an envelope and then scooted away to her line. In the envelope was a $20 bill and a note telling me about Jesus. It was a project their church was doing. Like you all, we want for basically nothing around here and are so blessed. Not only did we not need the $20, but our hearts are full-to-bursting with the love of Jesus. But that little envelope about made me start bawling right in the line waiting to buy our food. I mean, REALLY. So, we ended up going home, putting in another $20, and I gave it to a woman who I saw at the McDonald’s play place with her littles. It was THE BEST.
When we were in the hospital with our 2 month old daughter (now 4 years old) who was recovering from heart transplant surgery, we were put in touch with a woman who had had a daughter in the same CICU with the same heart defect, but they had chosen a different care plan. She came to see us, with a beautiful tutu for Aliyah, and our first home cooked meal in weeks. She say with me and listened to me cry, and she kept coming back until we were discharged from the hospital. When I was overwhelmed with caring for an infant on around the clock medication and worried sick about rejection and infection, she would come to our house and do my dishes, fold laundry, whatever she could to help. The heart breaking part of all of this is that that woman’s daughter, the one so similar to mine, she died just a few days after her surgery. She experienced extreme pain and unimaginable heart attack in the very ICU we were in. She faced that grief every time she came to see us in the hospital. I don’t know how she did that for a complete stranger. I don’t know how she walked those halls and faces those memories for the sake of comforting me. I will never forget her kindness and I will never take her friendship for granted.
When my husband and I were just married (at 20 and 21 years old) we struggling working part time jobs and donating the rest of our time leading our churches youth ministry. One night his uncle called us and said he would like to just hang out but had to go grocery shopping. We agreed to meet him at the store. When we arrived he informed us we were there to shop for us. As we grabbed a cart he laughed and said that wouldn’t be nearly big enough and grabbed a second. He helped us to fill both carts overflowing with enough food to line our shelves for a couple months. I had never in my life experienced anyone being so generous without wanting anything in return.
Kristen´s last blog post ..Pixie and Pirate Party
The nicest thing…. when Riley’s grandmother met Brian and I for the first time and decided that she would take a chance on us loving her grandson forever. My heart grew three sizes that day and I will try every day to live up to her risk of love.
Kate @ Songs Kate Sang´s last blog post ..Julia’s Grilled Chicken Salad – #15MinuteSuppers
The nicest thing by far that anyone has done for me in a long time is that they told me that I was doing a good job. Doing a good job raising my daughter, teaching her, loving her. That I was doing a good job being a wife to a husband who works crazy hours. All while living hours away from family, therefore doing it myself (and some of that time, I was doing it myself while my husband was out of the country immediately after our 4th miscarriage). Those words helped me tremendously when I was starting to feel pretty down.
We love Toys for Tots! They gave many gifts to my husband and his sisters growing up .:)
Beth´s last blog post ..I have a special place in my heart for little drummer boys
Aside from the gorgeousness of their hearts and the TLC they gave to us and our son Evan while he was in NICU, the nicest thing someone has done for me? That’d be getting bumped up on a flight just after we got engaged.
My hubby and I each booked separate tickets on the same flight. I booked into economy (cheaper in USD), he into premium economy (cheaper in AUD than economy, go figure). We get to the check in desk at SeaTac and checking in for our Seattle to SanFran flight. We flash my ring when the desk lady asked where we were flying to and why. (To visit his family for Christmas.) She bumped us into business for our short flight and said to ask the SanFran desk if we could bump me up or hubby down so we could sit together across the Pacific. (We asked about purchasing an upgrade for me and it was $1000. No thanks. Too rich for my blood.)
We get to SanFran and head to our new gate. Then we hear the gate agent (badly) calling out our names. We get to the gate desk and ID ourselves. The agent takes my ticket and rips it in half in front of us saying “we can’t have that. Here’s your new ticket.” They had bumped me up to premium economy, for free, so I could sit with my fiance (now hubby). We got spoiled. Drinks before take off, longer legroom, a leg rest(!), nicer toiletry packs, a cheese and cracker plate after dinner (hello cheese plate! I <3 me some cheese and crackers!), and a much nicer cabin experience. It was lovely.
Kara´s last blog post ..Thanksgiving
There are so many touching stories in the comments. It brings tears to my eyes & hope to my heart.
One of the nicest things someone has done for my & my family is when our first dog was ill & we took him to the vet. He was our daughter’s, she was in 5th grade & devastated that he was sick. (There was also a lady driving past while we were outside waiting that stopped to ask if we were ok & was there anything she could do to help.) The vet told us he had bad news that the dog was going blind. He was so sad for us that he said there was no charge for the visit! That was ten years ago & I still remember that as the nicest thing someone has done for me. I always try to make a donation to Toys for Tots with my kids to show the we need to help other. We have also done Operation Christmas Child (OCC) for
years. It now means a lot to my daughter that we do OCC because she has met kids that have received
OCC. Thank you for doing this! Blessings!
When I was in jr. high, my parents were on the brink of losing our home (which we did eventually). They couldn’t work because the immigration laws had changed, and my mom was still in the process of proving her right to U.S. citizenship (loooong story involving a US Servicman as a great grandfather and the Philippines being a U.S. territory)and they could not avail of work permits. I just remember one of our dear close family friends coming over and bringing us canned goods. It was humbling because I knew what it meant, and also came to a full understanding how hard it was for my parents even though I was still a bratty teenager wanting “stuff.” I will never ever forget that. I know they would’ve done more for us if we needed to, but that is one of the kindest things I ever remember being done for us.
Oh goodness I have cried my eyes out reading all these comments. And Jeanette the look on your kids faces by the full bin of toys, priceless! I to feel pretty blessed. My life has not been pefect, but we do not go without any of our needs. A month ago I did receive a card with a gift card from a friend that I haven’t heard from in a while. I took the time to reflect on our friendship. I know that the reason we aren’t close right now is because we are in the season of life when we are both busy trying to raise our little ones.
My husband and I do a few different things throughout the year to give back, but mostly we try to teach our children how important just being kind to others on a day to day basis is. I would love to take my kids shopping to fill the toys for tots bins.
for other kids. It would be a great learning experience for all of
A few months ago, I had a freak accident that left me in a cervical collar for 2 months. My kids are young and I couldn’t lift them, change diapers, or really lift my arms much for anything. Our family was awesome about being here when my husband was at work so I could rest and they would care for kids and cook. One day though, we were really stuck with no help. I called a friend and asked for a big favor, would she be willing to come over at 7:15 am or so with her 2 young kids and help? She jumped at the chance, and thanked me (?!?) for calling her because she had wanted to help. The 4 kids had a pajama party and had a ball eating breakfast together. It was an above and beyond act of friendship.
The nicest thing that someone has done for me? Well, it was probably the day that a pregnant woman walked into my office and asked me if my husband and I would want to adopt her unborn child. When making the very difficult decision that she couldn’t keep this baby and raise it as her own…she chose us. What an incredible thing!
The baby was born 23 hours later and we started the adoption process to bring him into our family.
That single decision that she made has changed our lives for the better and has made every moment of my life more worthwhile, more beautiful and full of love!!!
The nicest? I’ve started & stopped different stories so many times… hard to determine the nicEST… but, once, when I was feeling overwhelmed with everything that was going on in my life, and my little kiddos were driving me a little bit crazy…. a woman at my bible study who I respected very much, admitted to me that one time she seriously considered adopting out her kids. It sounded so awful! But it really helped me right at that minute to know that someone who I looked up to as spiritually mature had been pushed to the limits of insanity…. it was so nice of her to be honest with me about her own ugly thoughts…. helped me feel not so alone.
Anne @ anne b. good´s last blog post ..my week in review: 11/30-12/5//2013
There are so many things that people have done for us that I can’t even name one. I am blessed to be surrounded by so many people who don’t hesitate to help anytime needed. Rides for my kids when my car is in the shop, food for my family after I had my youngest baby, teachers who protect and care for my babies when we’re not around, understanding friends who listened to me cry when I was battling through post partum depression. I am beyond blessed and pray that I bless others the same way. I would love to take my kids to spread the love to other children this Christmas!
My husband and I pastor a local church in CA. Yesterda, Sunday, was a particularly difficult morning as before we had even awakened for the busy Sunday, our sone living in Texas with his wife and special needs daughter texted us. He was o upset because our grandaughter had multiple siezures over the past few days and was experiencing the horrendous side effects of loading the newest anti epileptic drug. The baby was inconsolable and they were at their wits end. As I stayed in bed crying (to be so far away and not be able top help makes me so sad) my husband dressed and went to church to preach two services and minister to the congregation even though his heart was breaking. He asked for prayer at both services and there was such an outpouring of love from everyone. A few years later, a beautiful arrangement of flowers was left at our door by one of the church members. Numerous phone calls were received by us during the day showing love, support and prayers. God’s people are so awesome. What would we do without the Family of God in this life?
BTW, we live very near you in Atascadero, CA .My father built and pastored for many years Pacific Christian Center in Santa Maria and as retired ministers my 86 year old parents still reside in Santa Maria. And Cameron Ingalls also took pictures of our family last summer! Really small world!
In 2004 I was involved in a very serious car crash just before Thanksgiving. Someone (who has remained anonymous to this day) paid 6 months of our mortgage payments for us! This was a major answer to prayer as I was the primary source of funding for our family. I am still grateful to this person or people for their extraordinary gift in that season,
Actually, I have one more. I needed to be driven to the doctor for a breast biopsy (not allowed to drive home myself afterwards) and my fiancee couldn’t take me. A friend did instead. I found out later she had just got off the night shift AND was studying for a big nursing exam, but she didn’t breathe a peep of it to me, just took me and waited through the procedure and was very encouraging. Such a good friend.
Christy´s last blog post ..John’s First Airplane Trip
makes me cry. how great to share at Christmas. the best thing ever for me was my grandparents took me and my older two sisters in to raise when I was only 6 months old. they didn’t have too. they had raised 11 of their own children. but their hearts were so big, they wouldn’t let us go anywhere else. without them I don’t know where I would be today, if it wasn’t for everything they did for me. it’s still not like having your real mom and dad, but I don’t regret one moment of my life with them every single day for my first 20 years.
gin´s last blog post ..Dear Santa