Funds For Public Radio

   So I'll come right out and say it... I'm a nerd or geek or whatever word you choose to use when describing those that like to listen to news radio and programming on NPR. I really enjoy so many of the shows and will tune the radio in the car to it most anytime I get in to take the kids somewhere or run errands. I feel like it keeps me up to date on what's going on locally and globally and best of all there are NO commercials! Four times a year they have fundraising campaigns to keep the station going since they aren't getting revenue from advertisers. Every time they have one of these campaigns I always think, "well, there will be thousands of others that will contribute.", so I do nothing with the hopes that others will step up and support them so I can keep listening to the radio I like. This is such a poor attitude to have and I've let it go on for too long.  Well while listening this morning, NPR began talking about the fall fundraiser going on and I decided to finally help out. So I hopped online and made a small donation to help the news and talk radio that I love. This year has been about helping out and doing for others because I have been so blessed. I'm just sad it took me this long to come around.

Friends Of The Animals At Nashville Zoo (FANZ)

Today our family headed out to the zoo to check out a new Kangaroo exhibit that we've all been wanting to see and it didn't disappoint. We also visited all our other favorite animals and decided to check out a show they had about local animals that we have right here in middle TN. The kids really enjoyed getting to see all the animals close up and we also learned about many different endangered species. The Zoo is very involved in animal conservation and helping different species to survive. To help fund the conservation and educate the public about the animals, they have created an organization called F.A.N.Z or Friends of Animals at Nashville Zoo. So for my good deed/act of kindness today I contributed so that they can help so many from becoming extinct. In return we got info about some great animals and the kids got neat pins to wear. Another fun and educational act of kindness.

Yard Sale Saturday

   Today my father-in-law and I embarked on our yearly tradition of spending a Saturday morning hitting as many yard sales as we can in hopes of finding some great deals. We started pretty early and found not only lots of yard sales, but several community wide yard sales. We had a great time and in the end my kids ended up scoring pretty big and getting some great stuff.
One of the yard sales we came across was trying to raise money for an adoption they were doing. The family was in the process of adopting a baby from Haiti and all the money they made from this sale was going to fund the extremely high costs that come along with the process. They were very sweet and so excited about the new addition that was coming to their family. So I was more than happy to help by buying a few of their items and adding a few extra dollars to the cause. I have a few friends who have adopted and all have told me how it can be very expensive so I hope I was able to help even if it was only a little.

Just Being Neighborly...

Somehow I manage to accumulate lots and lots of this and that. I get freebies in the mail from reviews that I sometimes write, items in swag bags from races that I do, etc... So at any moment I usually have things like vouchers for free items, new pencils and notepads, key chains and coffee tumblers on hand. I decided that I really don't need all this stuff, but it's not junk and I know others could get use out of it and enjoy it. So I packed up goody bags filled with all these items for a lucky few in my neighborhood and attached a note telling them to enjoy this random act of kindness from a fellow neighbor. My son and I randomly picked the lucky ones while we were out and stuck them in their mailboxes. I sure hope they enjoy them and that it's a great jump start to their weekend.

Soap Drive!

Today's act of kindness/good deed was inspired by my friend Jeannie. She brought to my attention an organization called Clean The World. Their main mission is to help stop hygiene related illnesses and in some cases deaths here in the U.S. and around the world. They do this by collecting recycled and new soap and shampoo products from groups and the hospitality industry and then distributing them to impoverished and homeless communities and countries.
Being able to have proper hygiene is a big factor in staying healthy and sadly so many don't have access to it. So to help out today I have begun a soap drive. I'll be collecting just your basic bars of soap for the next couple of weeks to box up and send to Clean The World so that they can get it to people in need. To those of you reading who would like to contribute please feel free to contact me through the blog, facebook, email or phone and I'd be ever so grateful. This a great and cheap way to help out so many, so pull out your spare change and buy a bar or two of soap to give to this drive if you feel so inclined. With simple acts of kindness like this we can help end needless diseases.

A Little Bit Of Grace

   Those that really know me, know that one of my biggest pet peeves is people who have no consideration for others. Those who don't care about those around them and are so wrapped up in what's going on with themselves that they don't notice how they are affecting others. I think we've all come into contact with people like that from time to time and today was one of those times for me. As a matter of fact I came into contact with several of those people today. When this happens, after I feel I have given them ample time to realize what they are doing and correct it and they don't I get pretty frustrated. But today I chose to handle it differently. My husband and I have been doing a bible study about God's grace that he gives us unconditionally. I'm not going to get into religious lesson here but my point is that grace is something that is given to me over and over and over again on a daily basis and if I'm constantly given the benefit of the doubt, than why can't I give it to others... I don't know what these other people are going through and how the day has treated them. So when I waited in line for a while at the bakery today and another gentleman blatantly cut in front of me and everyone else waiting , instead of getting mad I just kept telling myself "I don't know what's going on with him and maybe he has some sort of emergency that he can't afford to wait in this line." Or when I was trying to pull out of a parking spot and another person pulled behind me and blocked me from leaving. I thought, " maybe they are waiting for another spot and they don't realize they almost caused and accident." Several other instances of this occurred today and each time I tried to give everyone of them benefit of the doubt because I (Gulp) am sure I am guilty of this sometimes too. At the end of the day getting upset doesn't do me or them any good but showing a little compassion does.

REALLY Serving

   Today is Tuesday and part of my routine on Tuesdays is preparing and serving breakfast at the Journey Home. This service has actually come about because of 365 days and I have really come to enjoy this and it's something I look forward to despite it's VERY early hours. What this usually entails is fixing items like eggs, biscuits, hashbrowns and pastries and then setting them up on a buffet for people to self serve. Also making sure there is enough coffee, juice and cereal to go around. Well recently The Journey Home has gotten a new food director and he is very much encouraging us all to get to know the clients better and actually "serve" them. By serve he means simple things like helping the disabled get their food, checking on everyone more frequently, and actually giving them some of our time by getting to know them and having conversations. While I have done this sometimes, I have been guilty of focusing solely on the meal instead of the people. So today I decided to change that... Instead of just putting items on the buffet, I actually went around table to table offering up items so they wouldn't have to get up and engaging more with people and learning their stories. They seemed to appreciate it more as well. Most have always been very appreciative and thankful but today you could just see it on their face. When I took a moment to ask how they were or what was going on with them they liked that someone was taking an interest.
  I love the new direction the new food director is taking The Journey Home and I'm glad I get to be a part of it.