Love, Love, Love

I am totally stealing today's blog from my churches blog, but I loved it so much I think it is worth sharing. Our church is starting a "Love Revolution." What is that you ask? Basically is you (or me) showing Gods love through simple, random acts of kindness. These are some of the verses that we have used during this love revolution.

“Love your neighbor as yourself." – Matt 22:39 (NLT) This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins. Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. – 1 John 4:10-11 (NLT)

The thing I want to share with you is this: 100 Creative Ideas to Love Others:

1. Return your grocery cart.
2. Clean up your local park.
3. Send an encouraging text to a friend.
4. Send someone a letter in the mail.
5. Ask your waiter how their day is going.
6. Randomly choose people to give some of your tax refund money to.
7. Take out your neighbor’s trash.
8. Organize a benefit.
9. Give what you’ve got, even if it is just a dollar.
10. Smile at a stranger.
11. Leave a note of encouragement.
12. Give a meal to a beggar.
13. Eat lunch with someone who doesn’t have many friends.
14. Give someone a hug.
15. Surprise someone by sending a care package or gift for no reason.
16. Take an elderly person shopping.
17. Pay for the person’s meal behind you in the drive-thru line.
18. Adopt a child.
19. Leave an encouraging post on a friend’s Facebook.
20. Mow your neighbor’s lawn.
21. Buy school supplies for your neighbor’s kids.
22. Help someone struggling to lift something heavy.
23. Discover a person’s potential and encourage them.
24. Let someone go in front of you in line.
25. Keep a “gift closet” and give someone that comes to visit you a gift.
26. Let someone else have the last sale item.
27. Forgive a loan.
28. Leave a few quarters at the Laundromat for a stranger’s load of laundry.
29. Tell your boss when a coworker does a great job.
30. Make amends with family members.
31. Fulfill someone else’s need (i.e. buy lunch for someone struggling with debt.)
32. Leave a gift for your mailman.
33. Plant flowers in a public place.
34. Pay someone’s electric bill.
35. Clean the house when your parents are out.
36. Open a door for someone.
37. Throw a surprise party just because.
38. Call a friend and encourage them.
39. Visit someone in the hospital.
40. Befriend someone outside your usual group.
41. Pay for someone else’s fuel at the gas station.
42. Give extra money to your child’s classroom for the children who don’t have money for treats anytime they take a field trip.
43. Generously tip your waiter or waitress.
44. Partner with a humanitarian aid group.
45. Spend quality time with your family.
46. Buy birthday gifts for a family in need.
47. Get to know the cashier at the grocery store.
48. Volunteer somewhere new.
49. Bake cookies for a neighbor.
50. Give blood.
51. Join a walk for a cause.
52. Pay someone a compliment.
53. Shave your head to support a friend going through cancer treatment.
54. Call a friend or loved one that you haven’t talked to in a while.
55. Cover a struggling friend’s rent.
56. Help someone load groceries in their car.
57. Invite someone for coffee.
58. Give a homeless person some bus money.
59. Invite people over for dinner.
60. Be a courteous driver.
61. Lead a parent support group.
62. Pay for someone’s groceries at the market.
63. Bake someone a cake.
64. Clean/Mow an elderly or widow’s yard.
65. Pick up trash you didn’t drop.
66. Call someone to chat.
67. Pay for another table’s meal at a restaurant.
68. Pray for someone while you walk.
69. Refold or rehang the clothes in the store.
70. Give up a parking spot.
71. Donate your clothes.
72. Give up your seat.
73. Invite someone to church.
74. Keep items in your car to give away to those in need.
75. Babysit for free.
76. Give a piece of jewelry.
77. Get to know a neighbor.
78. Write someone a poem.
79. Volunteer at a crisis facility and befriend an individual you volunteer for.
80. Give someone a gift you know they’ve wanted for a while.
81. Be nice to a telemarketer.
82. Write a personal note sharing God’s promises from the Bible to a friend or relative in need of a pick-me-up.
83. Donate books to your local library.
84. Listen to someone who needs to talk.
85. Help the waiter or busboy clean off your table at a restaurant.
86. Share your groceries with those in need.
87. Clean a friend’s house.
88. Encourage or be friendly with other patients in your doctor’s waiting room.
89. Share your umbrella.
90. Give out bottles of water.
91. Send out an inspirational, encouraging, or uplifting email.
92. Talk with a homeless person.
93. Tell the janitor “thank you”.
94. Leave chocolate on your coworkers’ desks.
95. Help someone else with their child’s school fees.
96. Give someone directions.
97. Read to a child.
98. Say “thank you” to your local policemen, firemen, and other service men.
99. Pick up your neighbor’s mail and newspaper when they are out of town.
100. Share the gospel with someone.

I highlighted a 'few' that really stood out to me. I love this list because some of them really are a simple simple task.

Yesterday I had an emergency dentist appointment for a chip tooth and I have to say that I was 'LOVED' by my neighbor who took Ashlee right in and watched her while I took care of my tooth. I am so thankful for her being my neighbor and for her showing love in that way. She took away a huge burden that I was trying to figure out how to deal with.

Each day I try to remember that I have no idea what other people are going through in life. So, when someone does something that is not so 'loving' I try to remember that they could be having a bad day. I have had bad days and done things that were not nice. That person who is having a bad day may be the person behind you in the drive through and when you bought their lunch you turned their day around. Random act of kindness can do wonders from someone! I am excited to be apart of the Love Revolution at Keystone Church!

Reflection

I hope that you all had a wonderful Easter. We had a great, fun filled weekend. Our church had an amazing weekend with 55 baptisms and 83 people who came to Christ for the first time. I would say that is pretty awesome!

I grew up in the Church of Christ singing hymns, so when we decided to become members of Keystone, it was a big change for me. We sing very modern (yet powerful!) songs. Sunday our worship leader busted out with "I Stand Amazed in the Presence." I don't know what hit me, but the tears started flowing. The arrangement of the song was very powerful and for some reason my grandpa popped straight into my head. I thought about him the entire song and about how much I miss him. Needless to say I as very moved.

Our kids had so much fun this weekend. We talked a little to Jayme about the meaning of Easter, but without getting into great detail because the word "dead" is still a little hard for her to understand. I do have to say that Jayme's sweet prayers are getting sweeter by the day. So proud of her.

This weekend I really felt a lot of love for my kiddos. I know that is kind of weird to say because I always love them, but I guess this weekend my love "overflowed." I am so proud of who they are (tantrums and all) and who they will be. I just love how God shows me all these things in His perfect timing.

I hope you all had a wonderful Easter celebration too. Our God has risen!!!

ps - check out Chris Tomlin's version of I Stand Amazed in the Presence.

pps - This is going to be a short week for me because I am going on vacation :)

Good Friday

I am sure this passage will be read many times this weekend, but it is worth reading it one more time with me.

It was Preparation Day (that is, the day before the Sabbath). So as evening approached, Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent member of the Council, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, went boldly to Pilate and asked for Jesus' body. Pilate was surprised to hear that he was already dead. Summoning the centurion, he asked him if Jesus had already died. When he learned from the centurion that is was so, he gave the body of Joseph. So Joseph bought some linen cloth, took down the body, wrapped it in linen, and placed it in a tomb cut out of rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses saw where he was laid. Mark 15:42-47

When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus' body. Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other, "Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?"

But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.

"Don't be alarmed," he said "You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter, 'He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you."

Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.

When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of who he had driven seven demons. She went and told those who had been with him and who were mourning and weeping. When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it.

Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the county. These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either.

Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen.

He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creations.

Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe; In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get will.

After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompany it. Mark 16:1-20

I hope that you all have a very blessed Easter with your families!

We've been set free!

Ephesians 4:31-32

Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

I got a new Bible a few weeks ago and this was the first verse that I underlined. This verse spoke right to me because I get mad easily and am very capable of hanging on to that anger for a long time. I have been praying since the first of the year to be able to handle situations differently and not be so quick to angry and have bitterness. I think God has worked in me and answered some of those prayers for sure.

I just reread that verse to look for spelling mistakes and as I am reading it I am thinking of people who I have bitterness towards, who I need to be kind and compassionate towards, or I need to forgive (whether they want to be forgiven or not!).

In the past few months God has reviled to me that anger does not solve anything. Yes, if feels so good to get angry, want to take revenge, make sure they get what they deserve, etc., but at the end of the day it didn't make me feel any better about any situation I was in. Most of these people who I had these feelings towards, needs my forgiveness (again, whether they want it or not) so I can have compassion and start to pray for them and for the issues they have.

When I let go of the bitterness like Ephesians 4:31-32 says, I saw a difference. It isn't fun to live angry at someone. It stresses me out. So, let go, forgive and give it to God. He will take care of the rest.

Wow God Wednesday

So, I think God knew that I complained a little bit last Wednesday, so He decided to put a few people in my life this week to let me know He was still there and still in control and still has perfect timing.

I love writing this blog. Sometimes I wake up in the morning and I'd rather stay in bed than get up and write, so I get a little lazy and feel like this is "too much." But I know it isn't. This last week I had more than 2 people talk to me and tell me how much they enjoy reading my blog and how it is an encouragement to them.

That was all I needed to continue typing away. Thank you God for your perfect timing.

How has God wowed you this past week?